Shenanigans!
by Ambrosia Rush
Summary: The team is burnt out and Hetty not just sends, but orders them on vacation; prank-wars, confessions, and general mayhem ensue.
1. Chapter 1

The team needed to unwind and Henrietta Lange knew better than to just give her agents the weekend off. She knew them too well.

G Callen would look into his past. Sam Hanna would work off some steam at the gym. Kensi Blye would catch up on her recorded shows until she felt too cooped up and then would go running. Marty Deeks would help with short ops for the LAPD undercover unit that was alway short staffed. Eric Beale would sit in his apartment and "pwn noobs." Nell Jones would volunteer at a nonprofit. They were agents, but sometimes it seemed to Hetty, they needed to be reminded they were also people.

"Pack your bags," Hetty said coming into the bullpen as a case closed. Nell and Eric were down with the rest of the team enjoying 'victory' donuts Deeks had picked up.

"New case?" Eric asked with his mouth full.

"Yemen?" Sam asked.

"I'm betting Romania," Callen countered.

"The Dominican Republic."

"The... Dominican?" Kensi asked puzzled. It wasn't very often they went to work outside of the state, and when they did it was for an extreme case in which national security was at risk. Most cases in which they went out of state it was to a dangerous waring country. The Dominican Republic had Kensi thinking of flirty drinks and laying on the white sands working on her tan. "A vacationing murdered marine with high clearance?"

"I'm hoping more for a bikini babe who stole intelligence and we have to... apprehend her." Deeks finished with his team glaring at him. By now he really should have learnt to just keep his mouth shut, but he just couldn't help it, it was like he lacked a filter in his brain. Whatever he thought just came out, at least it did with people he trusted, he could still pull off a solid op just as well as the senior agents. Still in this case where the damage was already done he decided it was best to shut up and grab a donut.

"Vacationing, yes Miss Blye, but no dead marine. You six." Hetty pulled out six round trip tickets. "Four days there, two days of travel."

"We can't. We have cases." Callen argued, and Hetty had been expecting him too, he had always been unrelenting in his work. It was good to have such a dedicated agent, but it worried her often that perhaps her agents were a little too dedicated. For as long as Callen had worked under Hetty he had never taken his vacation or sick days aside from when he was shot, and even then he tried to at least get in and do desk work and she kept having to send him home telling him to get some rest.

"There are always cases, and you aren't the only team in this building capable of handling them. You are on the other hand Mr Callen, the team that hasn't had a break in quite some time. It's time for some well needed R and R." Callen opened his mouth to argue but caught Hetty's icy stare. "You're all taking a vacation, and that is an order."

"You won't hear me arguing," Deeks said taking the ticket Hetty held out to him. He couldn't help but thinking that it was the best order he'd ever been given. "I'm a good liaison." He flashed a cheeky smile.

"I won't be arguing either," Kensi for once agreed with Deeks. She thought she might have to mark it on her calender since it would never happen again. "Sun, beautiful beaches, martinis, towel boys," Kensi stared off dreamily and when she returned she had all the guys staring. "What? You guys are all thinking of chicks in itsy bitsy bikinis' so I have license to think of gorgeous guys waiting on me hand and foot."

"I won't argue with that," Nell defended Kensi view while taking her ticket. Kensi threw a smile at the younger girl, it was nice to have the team a little more rounded. Kensi was use to being around men, to being out numbered by them but it didn't mean she liked it. It was nice having the more estrogen in the unit to even the score.

Hetty held a ticket out for Eric. "Don't mind if I do," He grabbed his ticket and the younger part of the team all looked to Sam and Callen expectantly.

"I hear the beaches are wonderful," Sam Hanna had long ago decided that when push came to shove it was best to pick your battles with Hetty. In this case he decided to roll over and play dead.

"Well since I won't have a team anyway," Callen plucked the last ticket.

"Pack quickly, your flight leaves this afternoon."

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"Welcome to the Dominican Republic, enjoy your stay." The flight attendants were all male and ruined all the fantasies that Deeks had before he had boarded the plane.

"Thanks," Deeks replied exiting. It was hard to be disappointed in the flight considering they were on vacation, a vacation that was paid for. No, he was quite looking forward to going down to the beach, laying out on a chair and watching the beauties walk by. Maybe he'd go for a jog and after that, stop at a little beach side bar and buy a pretty girl a drink.

It took a while but everyone's luggage showed up, Deeks smartly had kept his one and only bag as a carry-on, and they were quite quick to get a taxi. If hotel check-in was this quick Deeks knew he could at least have a run and a drink before bed. "First thing on everyone's list. Don't think just say it," he said pointedly looking at Kensi.

"Unpacking," Callen said quickly sitting up front with the driver.

"You actually unpack?" Deeks asked perplexed, "who wastes time unpacking."

"I'd unpack first too," Sam defended sitting in the middle of the taxi van beside Kensi.

Deeks popped his head from the back seat between them. "Seriously, please don't tell me this is a-" Deeks stopped when Sam glared. "I was going to say don't tell me this is an accountant thing, you accountants, so stuffy." He looked at Kensi, "and you, are you going to unpack too, Fern?"

Kensi glared, "No I'm not, I'm going to see if the spa is still open, see if I can't get a massage to fix my back from that flight... then I'm going to unpack."

"Such a waste of time," Deeks flopped back, Hetty was right, they did need a vacation. He looked to his right, "Nell, come on please don't tell me you too?"

"I don't know. Kensi's plan sounds nice. But yes, I will be unpacking Marty, it's easier to find things that way."

Deeks looked to Eric, his last hope to his left, "you too?"

Eric shrugged, "I'll at least unpack my laptop gear. Probably get to the rest of it in the morning."

"Organizational freaks," Deeks cried out, "what is this world coming too?"

"A little dramatic don't you think Deeks?" Kensi turned just to punch him in the arm.

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Children, behave," Callen said. He couldn't help the smile on his face. Maybe Hetty was right, they did need a little R and R, he couldn't speak for the rest of the team, but he knew he was feeling a little more relaxed already and they weren't even at the hotel yet.

As they pulled in everyone was looking out the right side of the car. Finally out of the silence Deeks couldn't contain it any longer. "Holy shit!"

"I agree with your assessment," Nell whispered dreamily.

"Are we really at the right place?" Kensi asked staring at the gorgeous resort.

"According to the itinerary, yes." Callen responded. He opened his door, got out and stretched the kinks from his back. He looked back to see no one had gotten out of the taxi van. "Any of you coming or are you just going to sit there in awe of it all?" With only one door for the back passengers it was almost comical for Callen to watch first Kensi, then Sam, Nell, Deeks, and Eric all get out of the van.

"I should have expected over the top," Sam said pulling Nell's suitcase from the back for her. "Since Hetty planned this and all, but still..."

"I don't think any of us were expecting this," Callen responded passing Eric his suitcase.

Kensi snorted as Sam handed Deeks a large knapsack. "Seriously, a backpack? Are you twelve and running away from home?" Kensi caught a flash of genuine hurt on her partners' face and wondered what she said wrong, she was even about to ask but he'd rearranged his features back to the overconfident smile.

"I find it to be efficient, and it fits in the overhead compartment on the plane. Not to mention if your luggage had gotten lost, I'd be the only one with clean clothing." Deeks grabbed Kensi's bag from the back and set it down in front of her pulling up the handle, "if you need wheels on your bag, you packed too much."

They continued their banter as Callen paid and tipped the taxi driver and they headed for the hotel. "The only other person here without wheels is G, and that's only because he's old school and has a real suitcase."

"Old school, a polite way to say 'that guy who needs to catch up with the times.'" Callen bantered. "Maybe I'm just not as lazy as you are."

"Thank you Callen," Deeks said with a smile knowing another point to his knapsack had been added.

"Doesn't count as not being lazy when you just threw everything in a backpack. I folded things, you know, like an adult." The team was in full banter mode, laughter ringing, the last weights slipping from their shoulders. They all came forward to the front clerk to check in. "Party under the reservations made by Miss Henrietta Lange." Callen slid forward the paperwork Hetty had left in his care.

"Ah yes, we've been expecting you. Welcome to the Grand Beaches Resort and Spa. Rooms are as followed, four hundred and eighty-three for Miss Kensi Blye and Miss Nell Jones."

"Too much to ask for co-ed huh?" Deeks asked and received glares from both Kensi and Nell. "Guess so." He turned back to face the clerk.

"Mr Sam Hanna and Mr... Um...I'm sorry we do not have a first name on file for you Mr Callen."

"No you don't," Callen responded and the clerk cleared his throat and continued.

"You two will be sharing room six hundred and seven. And Mr Eric Beale and Mr Martin Deeks will be located in room eleven hundred and fifty. The man slid forward three folders, each having a room number written on it, two key cards inside and emergency fire instructions on the side.

"Great, I get stuck with Mr-Practices-Russian-at-Four-in-the-Morning," Sam said with a sigh.

"You could always switch with Eric if you'd prefer to be stuck with Deeks," Kensi quipped cheerfully.

"I'm not sure which of us should be more offended," Deeks nudged Callen.

"You," Callen responded with a smile. "He doesn't want to be stuck with me because I don't sleep, but he doesn't want to be stuck with you, because you're you."

"I'm hurt," Deeks clutched his heart, but internally it really did sting, outwardly he kept on the smile.

Once in the elevator Kensi nudged Eric, "good luck with that one, I don't think Sam's trading." She pressed four for her and Nell, six for G and Sam and eleven for Eric and Deeks.

Deeks grinned at her. "You play cold fish, but you know you're just sad cause we aren't sharing a room Kens." This comment earned a questioning look from Callen and what Deeks could only think of as an 'overprotective big brother' stare down from Sam. Deeks swallowed hard, "since we're partners and we're always together, you'll miss me."

"Please, this isn't just a vacation," Kensi replied as the elevator dinged and opened on the fourth floor, "but it's really a vacation." She gestured between them and smiled. "See you around boys!" Nell followed her out and when the doors shut Deeks was really wishing he'd kept that last comment to himself. It was an awkward ride to the sixth floor.

Riding to the eleventh made Deeks anxious, he just wanted to ditch his bag and get to the beach. The allures of vacation were losing its glimmer, or maybe vacation with his co-workers who with the shine of 'free trip' fading, still seemed to find him extremely irritating at the best of times. "I think this will be the longest time I've been away from the OPS centre since I've started," Eric stated checking his phone before tucking it into the pocket of his board shorts.

Deeks looked over shoving down his brood. He didn't brood with others around, it ruined the happy-go-lucky, laid-back persona he needed people to see. "We've got to get you out more." With a grin he continued, "hey! I've got an awesome idea."

Eric adjusted the shoulder strap for his laptop, somehow he didn't think he would find the idea as 'awesome' as Deeks did.


	2. Chapter 2

"I can't feel my face." Eric was worried about this and poked his skin. "I really can't feel my face Marty."

Deeks was also getting worried. He hadn't known that Eric would be such a light weight when he'd suggested they check out the local bar.

Maybe that third shot of tequila had been a bad idea, but shot three had actually been Eric's stroke of brilliance, and it hadn't just been a shot, but a body shot that a short brunette woman had offered.

He was quite sure Eric would get him back somehow at a later date, after the enviable hangover he'd have the next day.

What worried him most was that since shot three Eric had taken to calling Deeks, Marty. Something none of the team did.

"Lets get you re-hydrated," he ordered a water from a pretty waitress who's hair reminded him of Kensi and insisted Eric drink it. "Come on, we'll walk and drink the good old H-2-O get back to the hotel and sleep this off." Deeks had drank twice as much and was fairing far better than his colleague, he really didn't need to be sleeping anything off but he was fearful of running into someone else from the team.

If they saw what a 'bad influence' he'd been on their tech, Deeks knew he would be on the shit-list for the rest of the trip.

"This wasn't a good idea Marty. It was a very bad idea." Eric stopped suddenly as they had been walking along the beach. He took a big gulp of air and dropped unceremoniously into the sands. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Deeks knew as he heard Eric retching up the alcohol, it was going to be a long night.

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"Oh yeah!" Kensi all but moaned as the masseuse rubbed her aching muscles. It was a female masseuse which Kensi actually found better, the last thing she wanted while she was trying to relax was some guy drooling over her. And what if she found him really attractive? Than how would she possibly relax when he could be judging or comparing her to the other women who'd come before?

"You are so tense," the attendant noted. Warm massage oils gave off a cedar and sandalwood scent, earthy and warm. Hands splayed over her shoulder blades and Kensi bit her tongue to keep from making a noise most embarrassing. "You must carry much stress."

"Yeah I'm an..." She almost laughed, "I'm an accountant." She smiled thinking of Deeks earlier in the van who had quickly covered his near slip up. She mentally shook her head, her partner was the last thing she should be thinking about while getting a massage.

"Oh yes, numbers, very stressful." The woman pressed her palm down and ran it up Kensi's spine. "This is better, yes?"

"Very much so," Kensi replied. She should have had a vacation years ago.

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Stepping out, relaxed to the point of nearly feeling like a noodle and having no motivation to even get to the elevator she met Nell in the spa's waiting room. "You look as relaxed as I feel," Nell said with a dreamy grin upon her face.

"So relaxed, too relaxed, it should be illegal to feel this nice and floaty." Kensi couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. 'Floaty' was not a word she'd be likely to use in front of the boys, but seen no harm since it was just her and Nell.

Kensi had the backs of good, strong, intelligent men, she didn't allow them to see her feminine side, she needed them to have complete and utter faith in her. No dreamy, floaty, relaxed Kensi, she needed to be strong, smart and deadly Kensi with them.

"We should get our nails done tomorrow," Nell passed Kensi the advertisement. "Two for one."

Kensi never indulged in getting her nails done. Every day she became someone else, and while Tracy would wear blue, Rebecca bites her nails and damn Deeks for naming the next, Fern would rock the crackle nail polish probably in a sexy silver.

She didn't have time for that, not to mention that on a day to day basis she practices hand to hand combat and often puts it to practical use, and might tackle the rock wall. She was rough and tumble kind of girl, having a pretty manicure that only lasts an hour at work would be a waste of time and money.

But here, with four luxurious days of sweet, sweet vacation? "Sounds wonderful."

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"You snore," Callen said storing the last of his clothing in the bottom of the dresser he had to share with Sam.

He'd gotten the last two drawers under the argument from Sam that he was 'lower to the ground already.' Callen was getting sick of the 'vertically challenged' jokes. He stood six feet, he was only 'short' because his colleagues happened to be ridiculously tall.

"Where did that come from?" Sam asked untying his shoes.

"Really? And I quote 'Great, I get stuck with Mr-Practices-Russian-at-Four-in-the-Morning," Callen glared at him before tucking his suitcase in the closet, taking the concealed gun double checking it over and popping out the clip. "I might practice Russian, but it's because you wake me up with your Sasquatch-esque snoring."

"Sasquatch? Really? You've been spending too much time with Deeks."

Callen laughed. "I don't see what Hetty sees, with Deeks I mean." Callen walked over to his bed shoved the clip back in the gun, and placed it under his pillow, he already had a knife taped to the underside of the bed, and one in the closet.

Never hurt to be prepared.

"She wants him as an agent, and he is good. Honestly good, but he's...I don't know, Deeks. He's a goof-off, and he's LAPD, firmly LAPD. And why is it that they always seem less than pleased to see him?"

Sam was quiet for a moment mulling his partners's thoughts over. "I bet Hetty knows, and she still wants him on the team so it can't be that bad."

"Do you think he can do it?" Callen asked shutting the blinds in second nature, not to shut out the view, but incase there happened to be a sniper. He just couldn't turn the agent part of him off, after all it was who he was down to the core. " I mean, look at how he treated personal security, same coffee shop, same run. Got himself shot."

"He wasn't- still really hasn't been trained as an agent, sure I made him beef up his personal security but... he's still LAPD not NCIS."

"If Hetty has her way he will be."

"I've never known Hetty not to have her way."

"Maybe Renko's team will take him?"

"As if we'd be so lucky."


	3. Chapter 3

Marty Deeks did not, under any circumstance, miss a free breakfast. He left Eric in the recovery position, and headed down the hall to the elevator wearing nothing but drawstring pyjama pants. His hair was still wet from a shower but he'd briefly entertained the idea of getting properly dressed but decided since it was vacation and it was only eight in the morning he could still rock the p-j's for another hour.

He stopped in front of the row of elevators and pressed the down button and when the door did not immediately open he impatiently continued to push it until the elevator arrived. It was empty, he stepped in and leaned his head against the wall, nursing a minor hangover he yearned for some juice.

Preferably orange, fresh squeezed and in a frosted glass.

The elevator stopped on eight and a woman walked in, tall, all legs, blonde waves nearly down to her hips. Deeks admired the view till he realized she was holding the door, not just holding it, but holding it for a hulk of a man. He also noticed they were both wearing wedding rings and Deeks didn't have to be a detective to notice the cold hard stare the man was giving him.

"Wonderful morning," Deeks said with a smile, "either of you know how the breakfast is here?"

"It's fantastic," the woman replied looking him up and down, Deeks knew exactly what she saw, devilish hair, hooded blue eyes, shirtless- the bullet scars on his well-sculpted chest, and draw string pyjama pants that hung loosely off his hips. "Their pancakes are something I would definitely recommend!"

The man was now glaring at Deeks and he was worried that sometime later during this trip he might end up alone in the elevator with 'the Hulk.' Damage control time: "this might sound silly, but do they have breakfast burritos? My fiancé likes to sleep in but I know she'd love one when she wakes."

"Oh that is so thoughtful," she turned and swatted her beau, "isn't it Davey?" Apparently tall, blonde and hot wanted breakfast in bed. Damage control turned out to kick Deeks in the teeth and he nearly sighed at his bad luck.

"Very," Davey's tone said otherwise. In fact his tone said to Deeks 'I'm going to hunt you down and kill you in your sleep.' Deeks really wished Kensi was around, she might let Davey kick his ass for a bit, just to teach him a lesson, but wouldn't actually let him get murdered.

Getting out on the main floor, Deeks said goodbye and headed into the breakfast room while they left the hotel. With the aroma of freshly cooked breakfast Deeks found his day looking up, just a little bit.

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"Morning Deeks," Nell said waving at the table she shared with Sam and Callen. He steeled his spine, at least Nell didn't mercilessly pick on him and while she was around perhaps Sam and Callen would leave him be. Besides it was early and both older men looked tired. "Is Eric coming down?"

"No, I think this is the first time in a long while he's been able to hit the snooze button and just sleep."

"Must be nice, I had no intention of getting up this early, it just happened." Nell said biting into a fresh cut orange.

Deeks looked around to make sure none of the staff was watching when he grabbed a coffee cup filled it with fresh fruit and put the lid on, when he got questioning looks putting it on the table he said, "for Eric," knowing by the time their tech got up it would be past breakfast time.

"Maybe I should do that for Kensi, she's decided she's going to sleep till noon." Nell said.

"Don't worry about Kens. I already got that covered." He didn't, but he was going to once he finished his own breakfast, besides from how Nell was talking he had the time. "How did you boys sleep?" He asked keeping a polite tone sitting down with warm scrambled eggs, a pile of bacon, and blessedly a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, frosted glass and all.

"Fine," Sam said angrily.

"Super," Callen said sipping on coffee in a calm manner.

"Oh-kay!" Deeks looked down at his plate and quickly took a bit of egg.

Nell leaned over, "Callen decided to practice his French instead."

"Oh," Deeks responded with his mouth full. "I take it his French is not so good?"

"Oh it's solid, but it annoys the hell out of Sam and G knows that."

Deeks decided it was best to change subject and fast. "So Nell, are you enjoying your stay? How was the massage?"

"Oh the rooms are wonderful, and the massage was just great, Kensi and I are getting our nails done later today, two for one special."

"And you didn't ask me?" Deeks teased and Nell laughed.

"Always did think he was a little funny," Sam noted gruffly.

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Kensi awoke to a knock on the door. She looked at the alarm clock, ten A.M. Angrily she sat up and thought about just shouting at whoever was on the other side to go away. It was the possibility of it being Nell who had, perhaps, forgot or lost her key on the other side that made her decide against it.

Kensi rolled out of bed in her burgundy nightgown and shuffled to the door. "I swear if it's you Deeks," she whispered angrily. Pushing her wild curls away from her eyes she gazed through the peep hole and seen it was room service with covered plates. She went to the closet and grabbed her gun, flicking off the safety and holding it in her left hand she locked the chain into place and then opened the door as far as the chain would allow, "I didn't order room service."

"No, one of your travelling companions did and asked we bring it up to you."

"One moment," Kensi shut the door, stored her weapon, grabbed the robe from the bathroom and quickly put it on before unlatching the chain and opening it, "thank you."

She went to tip him, but he shook his head, "I would feel bad taking two tips for one meal, please enjoy."

Kensi smiled and just about skipped back to bed where she pulled the meal forward. "Nell, I can't believe you." With a smile she opened the big dish to find breakfast burritos, something she knew the health conscious Nell would never order for her.

There was a little pop tent card in the centre and she picked it up and read it. "Thought you might be hungry Fern." She smiled there was also a cranberry muffin and fresh brewed coffee. "Deeks," she whispered, "thanks."

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Covered in sweat Deeks continued jogging. He'd already been back to the room, Eric had been awake, already showered and had been thankful for the fresh fruit. Deeks asked how he was feeling, Eric said fine, apparently he didn't often get hangovers, though Deeks had an inkling that Eric was not 'fine.'

On his jog his mind had run through recent cases. He tried to pick out bits where he'd done well, where he could do better. It was good to know ones strengths and weaknesses.

That was especially true since he felt like and isolated kid on the playground who no one wanted to talk to. It was okay, after the treatment from the LAPD the NCIS agents could nearly be called friendly.

At least Nell talked to him. And sure Kensi might punch him, but at least she had his back when it counted, it was more that what he could say for LAPD. Why did he stay a cop then? That was the question.

He pondered it over: if you thought you weren't a very good cop, you couldn't possibly be a good agent? Or maybe it was that he felt he needed acceptance from one to be able to move onto the other? He had worked so hard to become a detective and still he'd earned zero respect from his colleagues- how was that for your professional confidence?

He stopped to get water from one of the resort's small shop huts along the beach. Vending machines hummed with the effort of keeping the drinks cold. Souvenir trinkets lay in glass encasements and postcards on turning racks.

He grabbed a drink and turned the postcards rack a few times picking out one he liked, he paid for both and sat outside on the little porch. He cracked the water bottles lid and drank it in sips.

His mind kept running over the conversations in the elevator, quick jabs he knew he should let roll off his shoulders... but he couldn't. Sensitive, that would be what Kensi would call him.

And maybe it wasn't just being pushed away, and maybe the little jabs stung a little more since Kensi's 'running away from home' line from the previous day.

Thinking about it put familiar knots in Deeks's stomach.

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"Thanks guys," Eric said as Sam and Callen came in the room, Sam passing the tech a package of itching powder.

"All this because he got you a little bit wasted?" Callen asked leaning against the dresser casually.

"Yes, and just for fun really," Eric responded, while internally he said 'no because he didn't get that girls name and now I'll never see her again.' Besides that, the tech hadn't got to jam any satellite messages, track any cell phone calls, take over any traffic lights, hack any government data and admittedly it was getting to him. He caused just a little bit of mayhem in his day to day life, if he didn't do something to brighten the day he didn't know how he would deal with three more days in a hotel room.

"You do know he will retaliate, don't you?" Sam, as funny as he thought it would be, wasn't sure if it was the best idea. After all they were on vacation and this would likely ignite a prank war.

"This just makes us even," Eric argued.

Sam looked to Callen who shrugged, willing to let it all unfold for the simple entertainment value of it all.

Eric pulled back the sheets of the bed freshly done up by the maid. He opened the pack of itching powder and sprinkled it all through Deeks's sheets. For good measure he sprinkled the last bit into Deeks's pyjama pants.

"Well I'm hitting the gym before the shit hits the fan and we are found to be accomplices," Callen announced.

"I'm with ya G," Sam responded, "care to join, or are you going to continue relishing in your stroke of evil genus."

"The second one," Eric responded.

"See you around," Callen gave a wave and the two older men were gone.

Eric brought out his laptop hooked up the webcam to ensure live stream to the NCIS: LA OPS Centre. Cracking his fingers he smiled. He did pride himself in a good and thorough job.


	4. Chapter 4

Duck, left jab, right jab, right jab, uppercut, left knee, step back. Kensi breathed evenly through her light workout, a mock fight with a punching bag. Rotating her shoulders she turned her head when the doors opened, Sam and Callen walked in and she waved.

"Even on vacation you got to beat the hell out of something," Sam commented with a smile.

"I'm not going to be rusty when I get back, besides, both of you are here, in the gym, and not... vacationing."

The three stared at each other for a moment. "Hetty's right," Callen finally spoke. "We really do need to just..."

"Loosen up?" Sam suggested at the same time Kensi said: "Relax," Kensi shifted her weight to her right side putting her hands on her hips.

"I'm... going to the beach." Callen said as if in a daze.

"I'll join you," Kensi replied with a smile.

"Bet she can get us a cabana, G," Sam said with a laugh.

"I could, but I won't," Kensi quipped pivoting on her heal and heading out the door first.

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The mid-day sun was a little blinding but Nell pulled out a fabulous pair of sunglasses she'd just purchased. She was already slathered with sun-block, SPF 110 was the highest she could find. She wasn't going to be spending the rest of the trip all burnt and looking like a lobster. Being a fair-skinned red-head made you constantly aware of the sun and it's effects. Despite the sun-block she took a chair under an umbrella. She put her beach bag down beside her and opened her book to the page she'd tabbed.

"Wonderful day," Kensi dropped unceremoniously down on the sand beside her, "what are you reading?" She tilted the book in Nell's hand with out waiting for a response. Nell swallowed hard and her face was red, and not from the heat. It was one of those smutty romance novels that just seem to go so well when sitting on a beach. Long haired characters in a lusty embrace adorned the cover.

"I think Sam has that one," Callen peered over the back of Nell's chair and she felt her embarrassment grow ten fold. Kensi was one thing, she was another girl, but the male senior agents knowing too! She knew it wasn't possible to die of embarrassment, but she was willing to be the first.

Something made Kensi's head snap behind her. Nell watched as Callen straightened up and looked at her, "Kens?"

"Deeks," she pointed.

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"Davey, old champ, how's it going?" Deeks slowed his jog along the beach front since Davey and three guys were a walking wall in front of him.

"You were checking out my wife in the elevator."

"I assure you I wasn't."

"Hear that boys," 'the Hulk' as Deeks' had come to think of him said in a gruff manner. Deeks's imagination got away with him as he envisioned the giant man in front of him turning green, ripping off his shirt and saying 'Hulk Smash!' "He's assuring me."

The men's hands clenched and unclenched at their sides and Deeks had sinking suspicion that he might be spending a portion of his vacation in the infirmary. "Look man, I'm just here on vacation."

"With your fake fiancé? I've seen enough of your type, the type that not only doesn't settle down, but also sees wedded women as a challenge. You're going to stay the hell away from Bethany. Don't talk to her, don't look at her. Are we at an understanding?"

Deeks bit the inside of his mouth to keep a sarcastic comment that would surely get him a hit in the mouth at bay. "Yeah, understood."

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Kensi watched as the three big men left Deeks alone, "wonder what that was about..." She'd been about to get up and go to him when their drinks arrived and by the time she'd paid and tipped the man, Deeks was out of sight.

"How did you know?" Nell asked her.

"Know?" Kensi was laying on a towel just outside of the umbrella's shade tanning.

"You just turned and picked out Deeks."

"He's on her radar," Sam assisted with a cheeky grin before sipping on his Rum and Coke.

"I heard him talking, he's my partner, I hear him talking. A lot. So, yeah he's on my verbal radar, when I heard him, I looked."

"Could you hear what they were talking about?" Callen asked in the beach chair on Kensi's other side.

Kensi shook her head turning over onto her back to keep the tan even. "But I could catch the end of what they were saying... kind of." Kensi shrugged, "I couldn't read their lips long enough to figure out what they were talking about. They're at an understanding anyways." That had been all she'd caught and it worried her, how had Deeks come up with three big guys who seemed to be already annoyed with the detective.

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Sam found he was a little bit tipsy from the alcohol, he hadn't drank in such a long time, drinking let your guard down, and it just wasn't something he permitted himself to do. But this was Vacation Sam, and Vacation Sam's mission was to have an amazing time.

He'd left Callen on the beach with the women and he'd gone to acquire them more drinks. They could have just stopped the beach wait staff, but he felt stiff from sitting for so long and the walk along the beach was relaxing.

He sat on one of the bar-stools when he finally got to the nearest Tiki-Bar, when the bartender was finished giving a dozen or so drinks to a waiter, she came around to Sam. "What can I get for you?"

"Two Rum and Cokes, a drink with an umbrella in it-my friend wasn't specific, and a margarita please."

"Coming right up," she gave a slow wink and a smile to Sam, "so your unspecific friend? Likes fun fruity drinks? Or maybe something a little smoother like a Long Island Iced Tea? Pina Colada?"

Sam tried thinking about what Kensi was most likely to drink and shrugged, "I don't think it matters, she's pretty far gone and as long as it has an umbrella she'll be good with it."

The bartender smiled and Sam couldn't help but smile back, she was a pretty thing, tall, a little lanky and a head of wild curls with random streaks of fire-engine red in the dark brown mess, Sam suspected she was half his age something further supported with the glint of her lip ring. Her light mocha skin was shinny from the heat and he couldn't help but follow a bead of sweat down her neck and watched it disappear into her low cut top that showed her midriff and that her navel was also pierced.

"So what brings you here?" She asked setting a Rum and Coke in front of him.

"A work vacation, with my colleagues, which makes it less of a vacation." He smiled.

She shook her head, "you say that, but I can see you care for them."

"How so?"

"You came to get them drinks, which means that despite being on vacation and you could go anywhere in the resort you have chosen to stay with them."

"Haven't heard a better offer," Sam teased.

She leaned on the bar and her finger danced along the top of his hand in a light, nearly unnoticeable movement, "I'll be at the Gin and Tonic bar it's a block north of here at around nine o'clock." She tilted her head to the side and her tongue darted out to wet her lips, "is that a better offer."

"Definitely."

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Deeks grabbed his pajamas pants, it wasn't late at only four in the afternoon but if you couldn't nap when on vacation, when could you? "Aren't you going to go out of the hotel room?" He asked Eric who was staring intently at his computer playing a game.

"Later, I have plans with Nell."

"Okay, well... I'm going to shower." He shut the door behind him and stripped off the sweat covered clothing. He adjusted the water to something lukewarm and got in. The water pressure was relaxing, and the temperature was perfect after his day in the sun, the heat and sweat washed down the drain along with the sand that had climbed it's way up to nearly his knees.

He used the shampoo and conditioner the hotel provided, but noticed that Eric had his own from home in the corner.

Lathered, rinsed and feeling refreshed he got out of the shower and wrapped his waist in one of the fluffy hotel towels. "I've got to stop being so cheap," he muttered. His towels at home were a little old, lost their 'fluff' a while back and basically scratched while drying. The indulgence of the hotel towels made him realize just how bad his were at home.

After pulling on his pyjama pants he rubbed his hair with the towel getting rid of at least some of the water that clung to it. He hung up the towel and left the bathroom scratching his thigh. "Damn, they must have some ridiculous mosquitos around here."

"Is that so?" Eric smiled clicking away at his keyboard.

Pulling back the sheets Deeks flopped into the bed. "Have you talked to anyone else on the team?" He asked conversationally. His face took on a confused expression as he jolted up and started scratching at his back.

"I seen Callen and Sam briefly... in the hallway, I was getting ice for my drinks."

Deeks stopped and stared at the tech. "Is that so?" He tried to ignore the itching sensation but it only lasted a second before he was ripping his nails into his arm. Watching Eric's expression he got suspicious, all he could think was 'too many unnecessary details.'

"The water wasn't fresh, it needed ice, the ice machine is only a couple doors down from us."

Deeks scratched places he'd rather not think were this crazy itchy, his entire body was getting to the point where he wanted to wither around on a bed of nails. "And why were Callen and Sam up here, on this floor?" He jumped out of the bed and rubbed his back on the corner of the wall relieving his back somewhat but he kept scratching his thighs.

"Ice, the machine on their floor is broken."

"Is it now?" Deeks wasn't stupid, he was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them.

"Might be fixed." He noticed Eric was having a difficult time trying not to laugh, "mosquitos really got you didn't they?"

"Itching powder?" Deeks guessed furiously ripping into his arm trying to relieve the itch.

Eric shrugged and Deeks ran off back to the shower.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for the hits, reviews, alerts, and favs! They basically make my day! Love and Light; Enjoy!**

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"I am fine," Kensi argued with Callen who was supporting her, holding her close to his body. "I am going to get my nails done with Nell, because I'm on vacation and Kensi can get her nails painted."

"Third person?" Nell whispered.

Callen made a couple quick drinking motions and then swirled his head a bit, Nell laughed.

"Lemme go, I'm going to have them painted red because it's bold and it's pretty and I don't have to carry a gun, or bust down any doors or worry that red isn't a colour Monica would wear." Nell looked up to Callen unsure of what to say.

"Tomorrow," Callen assured pushing back some of Kensi's wild curls gently as if soothing an angry child. "Tomorrow you can go do whatever girls do in a salon, you can even get one of those massages you went on about for the last half hour."

"But I want to today Callen," Kensi stomped her foot and Callen couldn't help but laugh.

"Kensi, your completely plastered. They won't let you in."

Kensi looked worriedly to Nell, "but we have appointments."

"Don't worry Kensi, I will call and get us in tomorrow."

Kensi sniffled, and asked pitifully, "where is Sam?"

"I'll find him, once we get you back to your room."

"No, what if he's hurt, or a terrorist cell has kidnapped him and is torturing him for information." Kensi was suddenly incredibly sombre. "We have to find him G!"

Callen sighed, "this is going to be a long night."

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Deeks had left immediately after his shower and Eric wondered if itching powder had really been such a good idea after all. The detective had been covered in nail marks and it was apparent that the itching powder had been more potent than Eric had believed. Deeks had looked pretty pissed off when he'd stormed out with out the typical wave.

Frowning, Eric for the first time thought about the fact that he had to share a room with Deeks till this vacation ends. Pushing the thought away he got ready and had just finished buttoning his shirt when someone knocked at the door.

Weary that it might be Deeks and getting him to the door might be the first step of Deeks' devious plan he called out, "who is it?"

"Nell."

"Oh," he hurried to the door and opened it, "how did your girly nail thing with Kensi go?" He asked closing the door and walking with her down the hall.

"Didn't," Nell responded, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "We both got a little tipsy, Kensi drank far more than both Callen and I, Sam went for more drinks, didn't come back, Kensi has decided in her drunken mind frame that it must be terrorists."

"Did you guys call to check on Sam?"

"Callen did, Sam is just fine, but he's humouring Kensi since he doesn't want her to sleep with this much alcohol in her system." She pressed the down button and the elevator opened up. She stepped in, with a few others already inside.

Eric squeezed in beside her and caught a whiff of her floral perfume. "She will probably be angry when she finds out."

"I doubt she will remember anything. Her day will end with tanning, then the night will be a blur."

Eric laughed, "so did you decide where you want to eat?"

Nell smiled, "I talked to one of the waitresses earlier, says there is a cosy restaurant just off the resort, sounds nice."

He opened the door to the hotel for her, "well then, lets eat."

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Sam had forgotten all about Kensi's umbrella drink, Nell's Margarita and Callen's Rum and Coke. He'd spent the afternoon talking it up with Mika, he wasn't sure if that was her real name or a nick name, he hardly thought it mattered. After all he'd introduced himself as Darius, a alias with traits close enough to his own he didn't have to pretend much. He'd left when her shift ended at seven, she'd smiled and told him she'd be seeing him later.

It had been a while, Sam didn't have much time for dating. What time he had when he wasn't working he was visiting his children. He and his ex-wife still got along well, it wasn't a lack of love that had caused the divorce, it was the lack of Sam, the lack of time he had to spend at home. He'd tried, but eventually he was served with the papers, he didn't fight them, just signed and was grateful she let him see their children any time he could be there.

He shook his head of the thoughts of his beautiful ex and got ready to go out as Darius, he as determined to have a good time, this was a vacation after all. He'd showered, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

Aware that he was on vacation and inebriated he left the gun behind but clipped a small knife on the inside of his pocket so it remained out of view.

Finished in the room he went down to one of the small restaurants within the hotel and ordered a steak and fries, he still had an hour before meeting Mika and with the alcohol fuzz in his brain he decided it might be best to have something other than rum in his stomach.

He grabbed his phone when it rang he realized it wasn't a call, but a video sent to his phone he laughed out loud at the itching Deeks, but frowned when Eric brings him up. "Eric!" Sam curses, and figures that Eric might not be the only one Deeks retaliates against.

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Kensi stood in her bikini, hands on her hips staring at the closed resort bar. "This was the closest, this is where Sam must have gone." She states and goes over looking for anything that might have been left behind, or any sign of a scuffle.

Callen watched trying to keep a straight face, he adjusted Kensi's bag on his shoulder, "he's fine, really Kens."

"He didn't come back Callen!" Kensi whipped around, "what if there was an accident." Something changed in Kensi's stance, Callen immediately noticed it.

It was a small thing, and maybe if he hadn't known her so long, and so well he wouldn't have noticed. Her shoulders got tense, her body moved forward just oh-so slightly. All he could think is if he wasn't there she would have curled right into herself.

Her hands shook, just once, because even drunk Kensi Blye had more control than most did sober.

He slowly dropped the bag, the thought that she might cry... all he could think of was she was now a bomb in front of him that needed defusing.

Frankly he was less afraid of the bomb.

"Kensi," he whispered softly and took a step forward before stopping. Emotions were definitely more terrifying than weapons being pointed at him.

Weapons he knew how to deal with.

She looked up, straightened her shoulders purposefully. "We need to find him Callen!"

"He's fine, he's on a date Kens," Callen said softly.

"What!" Suddenly she was an explosion of rage. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He took another two steps forward, "Kens, I was just joking with you." And this is why G Callen didn't joke. He wasn't very good at it.

She breathed out and the rage slipped from the air. "He's okay," she whispered and Callen felt bad for allowing her to think the worst, to allow her imagination to get away with her.

"Sorry Kensi, I didn't mean too... upset you." He patted her shoulder awkwardly. He still wasn't sure she wouldn't rip it right out of socket.

Kensi seemed far off for a moment before looking him dead in the eye, "I'm hungry."

And all was well with the world.

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Deeks sat in one of the hotel restaurants by himself, the postcard layed out in front of him, he tapped it with a pen trying to think of what to write. Or maybe I shouldn't write anything at all.

His leg bounced as he sat, nervous jitters, centipedes in his stomach.

He puts the pen to paper but quickly pulls back. He returns to tapping the back, the address was written but the message space empty.

Finally he writes, 'wish you were here' and stares at it. That about sums it up.

"Postcard for the girlfriend?"

Deeks just about jumped out of his own skin and quickly flipped the card picture side up. "Kensi, you ninja. What are you doing here?" His words were fast, and there was an edge of annoyance he hadn't meant to let slip.

"Someone's a grumpy gills." She dropped into the booth opposite to him.

"Uh... grumpy gills?" He quickly looks to Callen for an explanation.

Callen mouths the word 'drunk.' Kensi glares, "I can read lips Callen!" He just smiles and sits beside her.

Deeks finishes his coffee, "Kensi, it's only eight, and your drunk?"

"She was worse earlier," Callen states and earns himself a quick elbow jab from Kensi as the waitress comes up.

"Still just coffee sir?" She asks Deeks.

"Yeah, just coffee please."

"Menus for you two?" The young waitress has blonde hair with hot pink streaks which gives Deeks an idea, but decides it's better to wait till the other two are gone.

"Yes please," Kensi requests. While Deeks is watching the waitress walk off, Kensi quickly snatches the postcard, "you know this won't get to LA till after we're back right?"

"I'm not lacking in intelligence Kensi," he growls back pulling the card away from her, "and it's none of your business."

"Deeks?" Callen tries to defuse the situation but Deeks is already up and out of his seat and going toward their waitress getting his check.

"What did I say?" Kensi asked perplexed.

"I think it was something personal, and you overstepped some boundary he'd set up."

"An invisible boundary," she responded in a mystical voice, dancing her fingers in the air.

"The both of you, your boundaries are like landmines in the sand, neither of you see them coming till you step on them and then, boom, you're missing your legs. You two still don't have the whole partner thing down yet do you?"

Kensi plucked non-existent flecks from the tablecloth. "Not really. Then again, we're all a team, I've worked with you and Sam for what now... four years? Still don't know much about either of you, I just know how you'll react to situations, not the reason behind the reactions."

Kensi had a point Callen didn't want to think about. She wasn't the only one that needed to know Deeks, hell if he felt like being honest, the entire team needed to know each other. After all if you don't know a part of the engine is broken you'll get stranded on the side of the road. Callen thought briefly that Sam would enjoy the analogy.

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Eric and Nell left the restaurant full and happy. They were good partners, got along despite the rocky start, "you think Kensi and Deeks will ever find their groove?" Wind just about pulled the petite girl back and Eric grabbed her elbow to steady her, and then, he just looped his arm around hers and they kept walking.

"I think this is about as least bumpy as it's going to get, they're too different."

"Different perspectives are good," Nell argued. The wind had pushed her hair into her face and she quickly pushed it back.

"Kensi's straight up serious, Deeks is laid back foolish," Eric countered adjusting his glasses.

Nell shrugged, she sensed something more under the relaxed blonde mop of Detective Marty Deeks. Surely there was a high degree of intelligence, he had passed the bar after all. She wondered, and not for the first time, why he'd become a lawyer and then why he'd left it to become a cop. Lawyers made more, had a safer job, didn't have to go undercover.

"Do you not like him?" She asked unsure of Eric's perspective on the other new member of the team.

Eric shrugged, "I worry... since Dom." Eric stopped for a moment shoving his hands into his khaki shorts. "It was hard on everyone. They'd done everything in their power but... they hadn't just lost a subject, they'd lost an agent, a colleague, a friend. I can't help but think... what if Deeks is too busy goofing off and Kensi gets hurt, or he doesn't have Callen or Sam's back." He looked her dead in the eye, "I don't think the team would survive another fatality Nell."


	6. Chapter 6

**I know, I know it does seem like I'm being quite mean to Deeks and he doesn't seem to be having much fun; there is a reason behind it. I always have a reason for everything. Have a little faith- it will make sense eventually. Love and Light; Enjoy!**

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The music was loud, the hits of the bass were enough to vibrate the floors of the Gin and Tonic. Sam found Mika and she smiled, lights of various colours shimmered off her lip ring, "Darius," she purred. "I was hoping that you'd come, got to admit I was a little afraid you would stand me up."

"Not a chance," he replied. She introduced him to her friends, quick and brief, her hand on his biceps the entire time. They ordered drinks, sat, talked before the music changed to a beat Sam was familiar with. "Care to dance?" he offered his hand to her and she placed her delicate fingers in his palm.

"Thought you'd never ask."

She was a small thing, Sam had always taken particular care of things of small size or of frailty. She looked him dead in the eye and her eyes flashed with the flicker of the lights. She smiled, "enjoying your vacation?"

"Of course," Sam replied pulling her closer, enjoying the laughter it brought to her. Her smile was something to knock a guy down, drop dead beautiful. He enjoyed her sent as they swayed, her obvious enjoyment of the sheer pleasure that was dancing.

The song ended, and the DJ started talking. Mika grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the exit. "Where do you come from?" Outside, the air was slightly humid and the heat of the day still hung in the air. There was a few people sitting and chatting, a few stood in the far corner of the fenced off area smoking.

"California," he responded.

"I hear it is beautiful," Mika responded and Sam pulled out a chair for her, she grinned and sat down, Sam sitting across from her.

"It's nice enough." He hadn't really thought about it. People love California, especially Los Angeles, the City of Angels. He saw the mean streets though, the worst people, he knew what constant peril the city was in, hell the entire state. He tried to push his own thoughts out, they were clouding his alias. "The Boardwalk is something to see."

Mika smiled, "I am told that my father took me there when I was very young. I do not remember though." She looked far off, and a little sad, it was brief but Sam caught it.

"Maybe you'll go again one day," Sam suggested.

He smile was faint and she seemed to be caught up in a daydream. "Maybe."

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Deeks was glad Eric wasn't there when he returned. The itching powder prank might have gone over better with him had he not been so wound up already about the teams lack of acceptance, about Kensi's little quip. The worst part is he felt bad for being angry, felt bad for just storming off like a child. He leaned against the door and dropped the bag to the ground.

Putting his hands over his face he took a moment to breathe, and to shift the face of Marty Deeks back into place. He forced himself to smile. Fake it until you believe it.

He opened Eric's personal shampoo and dumped some of it's contents down the drain. He thought the revenge prank would at least help him push past the brood but it seemed to want to stay. After putting the hot pink hair dye into his shampoo bottle, replacing the lid, and hiding the evidence, he changed into his trunks first checking for itching powder and headed to the pool.

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Chlorine bombarded his sense of smell when he entered the pool room. He was more in the mood to beat the hell out a punching bag, but he forced himself into the empty hot tub and told himself he was going to relax. He had to, he was on vacation and all he could feel was miserable.

He wanted to be back in LA, he wanted Hetty to give him a new identity if only for a little while.

Martin Deeks was wearing on his aching muscles.

What he really needed was a vacation from himself.

The kind he got everyday at work, especially this time of year. It was the time of year when his head just wasn't in the game, memories came back, past and present got clouded and he spent too much time in his head. It was always there, what was... what could have been if everything had been different. It was always there, just under the surface, just waiting for a reason to push to the top. This time of year it was ever present, how could it not be? Wouldn't he be a bad son if he didn't think about...

His mind got sidetracked hearing the door open and the sound of bare feet on the floor echoed in the room, in his head. For being pulled to the present he was happy.

The blonde from the elevator sunk in across from him, Marty forced himself to not wonder how it could get worse- because if he wondered, surely it would. He looked over his shoulder and breathed out when 'the Hulk' wasn't in sight. "Hey, I remember you from the elevator, did your fiancé like the breakfast?"

"Uh..." He'd forgotten all about it, Kensi hadn't said anything, not even a private 'thanks.'

"Were you lying," she said with a wicked smile. "You were!" She laughed, it was a pretty sound and Deeks found himself relaxing not sure if it was because she was the first person that he didn't pick out as 'hostile' or if it was the jet hitting him right between the shoulder blades.

"Your husband is quite intimidating."

She waved a hand in the air and moved like a goddess across the water till her hands were on his knees and slowly creeping up, her face inches from his own. "Well, he's not here now." Her lips pressed to his and the tension in his shoulders was back for a fleeting second. To hell with it he thought running his hand up her back and entangling in her hair.

Maybe this was just the kind of distraction he needed.

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Eric awoke in the early morning, and was surprised to see that Deeks was in the other bed. Eric himself had gotten back to the room quite late but the detective had to have been even later, and worse, Eric hadn't even heard him. He didn't live with the same degree of heightened security as Agents did, but he still kept basic security protocols, Sam had forced him to even beef that up after the situation with Dom. But not hearing someone come into the room, probably change clothes and drop down only a few feet away. That was shameful craft, and he was grateful that it was unlikely it would get back to Agent Hanna.

He shuffled across the room wiping the sleep from his eyes and shut the bathroom door quietly behind him. After all he was still pretty sure Deeks was pissed about the whole itching powder scene and slamming the door would just be adding insult to injury.

After stripping down Eric locked the door in fear Deeks would come and steal his clothing as revenge. Deciding he was now safe from pranking he got in the shower with a smile, he and Nell were going to go down to the beach right after she got her nails done with Kensi.

It was going to be a good day.

He grabbed his personal shampoo from the corner of the shower, he never really liked the gunk that the hotels provided. He lathered it in letting it sit while he washed up.

Rinsing down and stepping out of the shower he put a towel over his hair and dried off his body with the second one. From his go bag he pulled out his clothing for the day and his hair products. Being from LA and having a cosmetologist as a sister made him incredibly aware of hair products. Although, even she hadn't been able to get him to ditch his wardrobe.

He pulled on his board shorts threw the towel down and pulled a worn blue favourite over his head, which is when he realized it.

His hair was hot pink.

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It was the tech's scream that awoke Deeks, who had almost forgotten about the pink hair dye he'd poured in Eric's shampoo.

Almost.

A goofy smile slid on his face as Eric stormed out of the bathroom. "Deeks!"

"Nice hair, goes great with your choice of shirt."

"I'll get you back for this," Eric said pointing at the liaison a furious expression upon his face.

"I don't know, I think you should thank me, it looks super cute."

"I hate you," Eric muttered storming out of the room.

"You wouldn't be the first," Deeks whispered to no one. Deciding the screaming and proclamations of hatred had well and woken him he'd get showered.

Walking to the bathroom the night before come back to him in bits and pieces. He'd have to do something about Kensi and Callen. He'd have to apologise for his behaviour, and when they shooed the apology, or got angry with him... he'd smile, he'd be good ol' Marty Deeks the goofy LAPD Liaison. He sighed as he thought, not for the first time, that sometimes the hardest person to be, was himself.

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"I'm glad we finally got to do this," Kensi said sitting next to Nell as a woman massaged her hand.

"Me too! Being an... accountant," she looked pointedly at Kensi with a smile, "is hard work, sometimes we girls need to pamper ourselves."

Kensi laughed and the woman stopped massaging and started shaping her nails. "We should do this when we get back to LA, like once a week or something, a girls day." Throwing Nell a wide confident smile.

Kensi had thought it was a waste of money, of time to pamper herself like this. After all if she wanted coloured nails so badly she could just pick up a bottle of nail polish and do it herself. It wasn't really what it was about though. It was about the gossip, the laughter, the friendship, and yes the pampering was like the damned cherry on top of a super high calorie sundae. She wanted to keep this, even after the vacation was over, she didn't want to go back to only speaking to Nell about cases, she wanted a girls day damn it.

Nell gave a shy smile, "I'd like that." She'd never thought that Kensi would take to her, they weren't exactly alike. She was an intelligence analyst, Kensi was an NCIS special agent. She looked at facts and figures while Kensi... well Kensi kicked ass. Somehow though they bonded and the new friendship warmed Nell's heart. "So... how's your head?"

Kensi smiled, "not awful, not great. Serves me right for getting all intoxicated, but hey! We're on vacation!"

"Miss Jones, what colour would you like?" The esthetician asked getting Nell's attention.

Nell glanced over the selection internally debating for a minute before finally deciding. "That one," she pointed at a sage green colour.

"Miss Blye? Which colour?"

"Red," Kensi responded with out a moments hesitation, "the boldest brightest red you've got."

The girls gabbed while their nails were painted, smiles and laughter. Their nails were done too soon for both girls. "Going to show Eric your nails," Kensi didn't ask, she stated it as fact as they strode out of the spa side by side.

"We're going to the beach today." And as an afterthought spoke again, "would you care to join us?"

"Thanks, but no, it's a partner thing," Kensi waved her hand in dismissal. "Go. Hang with him."

"Speaking of partners, have you seen Deeks?" Nell inquired.

"Last night, Callen and I ran into him at a restaurant after we finished looking for Sam." Kensi mulled something over internally and Nell waited. "I think I upset him."

"Maybe you should have a partner day too." Nell walks toward the elevators leaving Kensi to think that Nell was wise beyond her years.


	7. Chapter 7

Deeks was just exiting the shower when he heared a knock on the door he quickly dried his lower half and throws on a pair of jeans. The temperature is much cooler out of the bathroom, the steam dissipating. He peers through the peep hole, opens the door and leans against it, "Kensi? What are you doing here? Is this about last night?"

She looked like she was searching for words and Deeks sighed. Finally they both spoke at the same time, "I'm sorry." And then again, "What?"

"Well isn't that just adorable," Callen said strolling down the hall with a smile. They both stared at him, and he volunteered the explanation of his appearance. "Sam commandeered the room last night." He studied his nails uncomfortably, "the do not disturb sign is still on the door." He shrugged, "I'll let you guys get back to making up."

"Volleyball." Deeks said and Callen half turned. "Beach volleyball, we're on vacation, lets do it." Deeks had his familiar goofy grin and Callen and Kensi looked at each other.

"You're on," Callen agreed.

"I'll destroy you," Kensi jumped in her competitive nature getting the best of her.

"Strip volleyball?" Deeks quipped at Kensi and she glared and punched him in the arm, "I take it by that we are good?"

She gave a slight smile and a quick nearly unnoticeable nod. "I'm going to change, you..." She looked at his chest still wet and her eyes followed a bead of water as it dropped from his hair curved over his collarbone, his pecks and she looked away before she lost control. "Finish getting dressed. Meet you guys at the south entrance in ten."

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"Eric?" Nell looked absolutely bewildered as she stared at her partner.

"Deeks," Eric growled, "he put hair dye in my shampoo."

Nell looked shocked and then her face crumpled in laughter, "oh my God!" She grabbed on to her knees as she tried to catch her breath.

"Real supportive Nell."

She stood straight holding her sides, they pinched from laughter. She nearly had a straight face on again but one glance at his hair and she was buckled back over again tears streaming down her face she leaned against the wall, "regretting messing with Deeks now?"

"I'll get him back."

"Oh Eric," she wanted to make a point, that it would only get worse and Deeks would retaliate again but the hot pink colour had her sides splitting as she snorted trying to hold it all in.

"I'll make _him_ regret _this_!" He pointed to the strands of pink as they headed out into the sun. "I can't believe him... you have to help me think of something to get him back with."

"Oh no, no, no," she waved her hands in front of herself, "I want no part in this, I'm not getting the repercussions. You want to have a prank war, fine, but I'm having no part in this."

They headed down to the water but Eric had revenge on his mind.

.

.

.

"So..." Mika stood in the doorway, "I've got to get to work." She smiled looking down, "doing the walk o' shame." She laughed plucking at her dress from the day before, "but I wouldn't have it any other way."

Sam smiled, and for fleeting moment he wished he had told her his real name, that out of instinct and basic trade craft he hadn't and had gone with an alias. "I had a really great time Mika," he pushed back some of her hair and she stood on her toes and kissed him hard on the mouth before pulling back.

"I'm going to be late if I don't get going. You aren't leaving though, not yet, right Darius?"

"Still another two days," Sam replied and his heart squeezed at the smile she gave him.

She kissed him again pressing her body against his. "We can do a lot in two days," she whispered. "See you tonight?" He nodded and then she was gone.

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Deeks dove hitting the ball up, but it didn't make it over the net. "Point for us," Kensi high-fived Callen.

"It's not fair, two against one."

"I believe you said you were really good at volleyball and could take us both on," Callen said in his blue swim trunks, hands on his hips. Deeks hadn't known before, but he had immediately noticed the five bullet holes on Callen's chest, and when he had turned away to get the ball, Deeks noticed the five exit scars on his back. He wanted to, but he didn't ask.

Deeks shrugged, "over-confident." He suddenly got a pang in his chest,_ over-confident_, something they'd alway said he was. It was up there with arrogant and cocky, the kind of attributes that got your team killed. He shook it off and smiled. "Hey look," he pointed, "Sam has left the room."

"Sam!" Callen called and waved him over. "Please tell me I get to sleep tonight."

Sam smiled a little goofily, "I promise G." Then he asked, "what's the score?"

"Two for Deeks, ten for us." Kensi replied.

"New game," Deeks called, "partners versus partners."

Sam and Callen looked at each other and shrugged, it was Callen who looked over and smiled, "you're on." Then he turned to Sam as Kensi ducked under the net, "it's going to be a massacre."

"We won't hardly even have to do anything," Sam noted, "they will likely sabotage themselves."

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Eric had excused himself from where he and Nell had been building a huge sand castle that had little kids swarming it with their parents looking on in awe. He entered the washroom, sand sliding off his flip-flops he went to the urinal but it was the stalls that sparked his attention.

After washing his hands he fished a marker out of his pants and checked out the graffiti. With a wide smile he wrote a new message inside of each of the three stalls. He admired his work for a moment and then left and returned to Nell.

He paused to see she was helping a little girl turn over a bucket of sand and showing her how to carve out pieces with a stick. The girl was looking in awe of Nell and Eric couldn't help but smile when she returned to their large masterpiece. "I never thought about you around kids, you do good with them."

She smiled, "I like kids, they remind me of why we do... what we do."

He nodded, "my sister says that kids are reminders of the innocents we lost. She was a English major before going into cosmetology, she was always saying stuff like that."

"Was?" Nell asked quietly.

Eric hadn't noticed the past-tense until it was too late. He shrugged and pushed the dirt around a bit. "She went missing... six years ago. It's when I started to hack... well seriously hack, like into government stuff." His voice was hardly audible and Nell had to lean in to hear. "I was trying to find her when I got caught."

"And recruited."

"Hetty said if I could get through the system, I could make it better, I could get into other systems." Eric shrugged. "Working for... you know, is better than... prison." He sighed.

"Any leads?"

Eric smiled at her, but it was a sad smile and she seen the sheen of tears in his eyes. "I've done everything, used ever technological advantage I have in the OSP and in six years, nothing. What does that tell you?"

Nell knew what he was thinking, because she was thinking it too. No trail for six years. Dead; that's what it told her. That wasn't what he wanted, or needed to hear though. She put her arm around him and his forehead rested against her shoulder, she felt hot tears hit her skin.

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"Really Deeks?" Kensi shouted pushing him.

"What? I tried to get it, not like you, afraid you'll chip your new nail polish."

Callen and Sam watched on the other side of the net, they looked at each other and knew their rising score was getting to the young-bloods.

"You were too busy checking that blonde out to properly hit the ball."

"I messed up! Are you happy now." Deeks retrieved the ball and threw it over the net, "serve."

Callen threw the ball in the air and hit it over the net. Deeks volleyed it up and Kensi spiked it, only she lost her footing in the sand at the last second and instead of hitting it over the net, she spiked it right into the back of Deeks's head.

"Son of a bitch!" He shouted and a woman walking by with her small daughter covered her child's ears. "Sorry," he said to the woman but she stalked off angrily. He turned to Kensi, "really? I'm that bad of a partner you got to literally knock sense into me."

Kensi put her hands on her hips, the beads on the side of her bikini clicked together. "It was an accident."

"Sure," Deeks growled grabbing the ball and once more throwing it over the net.

"I am sorry Deeks, it was an accident!" Kensi responded not sounding the least bit apologetic.

"Hey kids, lets not be angry," Callen said picking up the ball, as he tried to use a soothing voice to defuse the situation. "It's just a game."

Deeks laughed, "yeah, volleyball is just a game."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Kensi retorted.

"Our job Kensi!" They stood toe to toe hands on hips mirroring each other. "Volleyball is just a game, and we can get mad at each other and at the end of the game we can walk away. We can't do that at work."

"Are you saying you want to walk away?" Kensi was a little dazed and her stomach fluttered.

Deeks stared hard at her for a moment before turning away, "serve Callen."

"I think I'd rather hear the answer, especially as team leader." He'd tucked the ball under his arm and was staring at Deeks. "Are you going to leave the team when we return?" Callen had to say, he hadn't seen it coming he hadn't had even an inkling that _this_ was coming.

Deeks looked down, "I got a call... LAPD needs me when I get back. I'll be doing an op for a couple of weeks."

"That didn't answer my question," Callen responded.

Deeks had a half grin on his face, "thought about it." Then he smiled, "maybe you'd all be better off." And with that, he left the court leaving everyone else in a stunned silence.


	8. Chapter 8

"Should I?" Kensi asked dazed, "should I go after him?"

Callen shrugged, "he's your partner Kensi, why are you looking at me?"

Kensi ducked under the net and he seen too late the fury and had no time to do anything before she shoved him hard. "You're team leader Callen!"

Sand wasn't the only thing keeping him off balance. "Kens," her emotional barrage blind sighted him just as much as hearing that Deeks might leave the team.

She was breathing hard, "he and I... we do good work together. Even if he annoys the hell out of me while we're doing it." She stated it as a fact. "But... I mean, we get along okay. He's a good guy." Callen shot a pleading look to Sam who threw his hands up and offered no assistance. "Can we really work together? I mean he doesn't tell me anything, remember the postcard? He stormed off because of a postcard!"

"Kens-"

"And I mean, he talks, and talks, and talks. He is a _terrible_ liaison."

"Kensi." She looked up at Callen who spoke softly, and gave her three simple words. "He's your partner."

She looked down as if ashamed for a moment before looking up with new found purpose. "I have to go," and she walked off in the direction Deeks had gone.

Callen dropped down to the ground and glared at Sam. "Thanks for the back up partner."

"It's why you get paid the big-bucks as team leader, to put up with situations like that."

"Do you think they will work this out?" Callen asked looking up at Sam who followed Kensi with his eyes then turned back to Callen and shrugged.

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.

.

Deeks pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered it gruffly, "hello."

"Hey there, you Macho Marty?" Deeks pulled the phone away from his ear face scrunched in confusion and looked at his caller ID but it was a blocked number. He put the phone back to his ear only to hear male groans on the other end. Disturbed he quickly hung up.

"Marty!" He turned to see Bethany, the hot blonde from the hot tub. She was fully dressed this time but the image of her in her bikini, straddling him was just behind his eyelids. "Fancy seeing you here."

Deeks was just grateful her husband wasn't around. "Hey Beth," he leaned against the wall, "how are you?"

"Good," she replied coy with a smile leaning across from him. "I'm just going to the gym while Davey is going golfing with his friends." She ran her well manicured hand down his arm. "Would you care to join me?"

"Deeks?" Kensi almost tripped when she spotted him as she rounded the corner. She'd focussed on him before the blonde had even registered. "Sorry to...um...interrupt. I just..." Deeks could see that Kensi was having a difficult time saying whatever it was that needed to be said. "Could we...um... drinks later? So... we can... talk." She ended finally with her head up and could see a ghost of a smile on Deeks lips.

"I'll text you later," he responded.

Kensi thought about saying something to the blonde who was sizing her up. The woman who had her hands on Deeks. He was her partner, but he was choosing to stay there with that woman than to come with her. "Fine." She turned on her heel and left with what dignity she could muster.

"That your 'fiancé' Marty?" He'd known this woman for two days, and yet she called him by his first name. How long had it been since he'd started with NCIS? None of them called him Marty.

"She's a colleague, work retreat."

"Ah," Bethany responded. "Well... I'm going to the gym, care to... spot me?"

Deeks smiled. "Just let me grab something other than sandy trunks."

"Meet you there."

He watched her walk off and was feeling a headache come on when he thought about Kensi and her wanting to 'talk.' Maybe she would tell him she _wanted _him to _leave_. He rubbed his temples and headed to the elevator, he grabbed his phone when it started vibrating in his shorts and answered it. "Deeks."

"Hey there, I... I heard you were up for a good time." The males voice was nervous.

"How did you get this number," Deeks asked feeling his blood pressure rise, he was in no mood for games. Whoever was on the other end hung up and Deeks shoved his phone back into his pocket.

By the time he had gotten to his room he'd received three disturbing phone calls, all sexual in nature. He turned off the phone when he changed in to sweat pants and a form fitting t-shirt and shoved the device in his pocket as he headed down to the gym.

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.

Eric wasn't sure if Deeks had gotten any calls from the ad's 'for a good time' that he'd written in the bathroom stalls. Worried his revenge wouldn't be complete, he'd left Nell and showered off the sand before sitting at his computer.

And made it so that calls to a sex line would automatically re-route and go to Deeks's cell phone.

Happy that this would surely get the desired effect he left the computer and was going to get something to eat when he walked right into Kensi who was standing in front of the door, "hey Eric, sorry." She stared at him and then laughed, "your hair is pink."

"Yeah... you remember the itching powder?"

"You sent me the video," Kensi replied trying not to laugh.

"Revenge," he pointed to his hair.

She nodded, remembering why she had come in the first place and became sombre again. "Um... is Deeks in there," she really had been hoping he would blow of the blonde and be there, but she looked past Eric to see an empty room.

"Sorry, must have just missed him, he was going in the elevator when I was coming out." Eric stopped for a moment and really looked at her, she looked a little... lost. Of course Eric wasn't going to stay that, he preferred to stay breathing. "Do... do you want to get something to eat?"

She snapped out of it and sighed, "sure."

At the restaurant they sat together, and Eric didn't really have to say much which was fine since Kensi seemed to be working on a problem, and he had become a soundboard. She told him about the volleyball match, that Deeks might leave them, and the postcard.

"He might leave," Kensi said. Every man in her life left her, if she really wanted to admit it, she was the one who pushed them all away- but she didn't want to admit it, she couldn't. "I need to fix this. I will fix it." She steeled her spine confident Kensi back. "How was your day?"

After hearing that Deeks was debating on leaving Eric felt guilty and after Kensi's confession he felt he had to make one of his own. "Well after the hair dye incident..." he looked down, "I may have retaliated." She stared cooly at him. "I wrote in some bathroom stalls, gave his number, and then re-routed some sex hot-lines to his phone."

Kensi couldn't help the smile that crept upon her lips, "really?"

"Yep."

Kensi chewed the inside of her mouth trying to keep from laughing, she knew that Deeks would get him back.

They ordered dinner when the waitress came around and Kensi kept checking her phone, but Deeks hadn't bothered to text yet.

"He was with this blonde woman... I went after him after the volleyball match, found him with her." She picked up her fork when her food came and looked at Eric when the waitress left. "He's my partner, we were fighting, he's thinking about abandoning me... I mean the team and he's off with some..." She stabbed a couple fries angrily. "He hasn't text me."

"He will," Eric decided it as best to say what Kensi wanted to hear and not what he believed.

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Deeks went through a series of drills with Bethany who could keep up pretty easily. She was someone who kept in shape, he learned she didn't work, but loved to draw and paint. "I use to sell my paintings, but once I married David... I stopped."

"Why?" He asked as he jogged on the treadmill next to her.

"He liked being the sole provider of the family." Bethany shrugged, "I think I resent him." She looked over at him, "you must think poorly of me, married, messing with you while on vacation _with my husband_."

"Wouldn't be here if I thought poorly of you," Deeks responded, "people do thinks for a variety of reasons, sometimes bad things happen but then you find out it was for all the right reasons. Things are never black and white."

Bethany smiled sadly at him, "I use to go out, but he doesn't like my friends so I would only go out once a week with the girls, then once a month, now it's been six months since I've talked to any of them. I use to paint, use to love it, now it's just... dull, boring, and everything I paint is lifeless." She stopped the machine and stepped off breathing hard. "I don't love him. I did. Honestly I did, but..." She put her hands on her hips. "I shouldn't be dumping this on you Marty, we've only just met... but..."

He stopped his machine and stepped down, "you don't have anyone else to talk to?"

She nodded tears glistening in her eyes. "It's not like he hurts me, honest. He's just... we're strangers living in the same house. Davey went on this vacation with his friends, only he made me tag along, didn't want me left alone."

"What do you want to do?"

Bethany started to cry, it was sudden and the choking sobs caught the attention of the others, she quickly wrapped her arms around Deeks and he lead her out of the room.

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Callen was exhausted, he'd gotten a few drinks with Sam at the bar where his date from the previous night worked. He wasn't even surprised that Sam was using an alias, everyone outside of work knew him as someone else, other than his ex-wife and children.

He'd only had one drink before the heat and the relaxing factor of the smooth rum was making his eyelids heavy. He said goodbye to Sam and Mika and walked barefoot in the sand toward the hotel.

"Fancy meeting you here," Nell's voice was one that was immediately identifiable. He had liked her voice right from day one, there was just... something about it.

He looked behind him to see her on his right side carrying a heavy beach bag that had her walking a little funny in the sand. He plucked it from her and shouldered it. "Geeze Nell, what do you have in here."

"Sunblock, a few books, my sandals, a towel, pail, shovels, inflatable beach ball-"

He cut her off by stepping in front of her and putting a finger over her lips. Her eyes widened in shock. "I got it Nell, a whole lot of beach gear." He let his hand drop and she stared at him he started walking and she quickly fell into step beside him.

"So, still worried about cases in OSP?"

Callen smiled, "always." He trudged another few steps before continuing. "I somehow think by leaving there won't be something to come back too... kind of stupid huh?"

Nell shrugged her shoulders, "I don't think it's stupid. We save the world all the time." He smiled and her expression mirrored it. "We take responsibility and we do our best to protect whoever we can. Being gone... it's like..."

"Someone is going to get hurt, or something bad is going to happen because we aren't there to stop it." Callen ran a hand over his short blond locks with clear frustration. "I feel guilty because I have relaxed while being here, I have had... fun."

"Oh no, not G Callen having fun," she purposely walked into his side and he stumbled as step and smiled.

"I know, what is the world coming to?"


	9. Chapter 9

**I would really like to take this moment to thank everyone who has taken the time to review this story. I really do appreciate it and it just inspires me to write more. Thank you so much!**

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"You're a really good listener," Bethany said wiping the last of her tears.

It had been hours since the volleyball game and Deeks pushed back some of Bethany's hair. "Look, if you need me," he took her phone from her hand and punched in his number. "Call me. I... I have to go."

"The woman from earlier... she's important to you."

"Very," Deeks responded.

"Do you... do you love her?" Bethany asked.

The question had Deeks looking confused and then he sighed. "She's... important." He decided to leave it at that. After all, how many nights had he spent wide awake staring at the ceiling thinking about Kensi Blye? How many nights had he fretted over all the little things that could go wrong on an op that would lead to her being injured, kidnapped, or killed? How many nightmares had featured her getting hurt? Then again, how many sensual dreams of Kensi as dangerous and beautiful as ever strutting across his room in the pale moonlight, of her slipping into his bed, of her breath on his neck- only to be woken by Monty's dog breath and a slobbery kiss?

It was better not to get into how Deeks felt; it was better to leave the 'L' word out of the equation. He couldn't admit that, not even to himself. They were _partners_, and she was _important_. He had to leave it at that, or it would drive him completely mad.

Bethany smiled and bumped shoulders with him, "you should text her."

"You going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Bethany responded, "I'll be fine, go, work things out with the smokin' hot brunette."

Deeks turned his phone on once he'd walked away from Bethany. Eighteen missed calls all from numbers he didn't know and a text from Kensi that read: _I'm sorry, please text_.

He quickly typed in: _I'm sorry too, meet your room?_

He got a quick response: _There. Waiting_.

.

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Kensi paced like a caged animal. She and Deeks needed to get their stuff together and she was getting furious waiting. She'd tried to stay calm, being volatile wasn't going to make him feel welcome or give him any inclination to stay.

All she could think though was; not only had he walked off after dropping the bomb on her, Sam and Callen, but when she'd gone to him wanting to talk it out, he'd been with some...woman.

And instead of fixing their partnership he would 'text her.'

The knock on her door jolted her and she was quick to open it. She couldn't help the glare, "Deeks."

He bit the bitter 'Blye' that was on his tongue, "Kensi."

She made a grand motion with her arm and he walked in hearing the door close and lock it, the click sound was final and made him nervous. After all, she probably knew how to kill him several different ways with every object in the room.

"You remember when you got shot?" Kensi asked, her emotions running rabid and she hadn't even thought of what she would say when he got there, it just slipped out naturally.

"Of course I remember getting shot Kensi, but thanks for bringing up-"

"Stop, let me finish," Kensi stood toe to toe with him just like she had on the beach earlier. "When you got shot... I was scared." Deeks watched her face, she seemed almost ashamed admitting her fear. "Hetty wanted us to go into the field but I... I asked to be sent to you, even though you were in surgery and I couldn't do anything useful I just... I couldn't imagine being anywhere else even if Hetty had sent me to go with Sam and Callen I would have ended up sitting in that hospital room on that awfully uncomfortable chair waiting for you to wake up. _Praying_ that you would wake up."

Deeks had a faint smile on his face and Kensi was perplexed; she'd expected the big goofy grin and a one-liner that would make her regret every giving the admission. "When you did that undercover stint, getting in with Stan King... you remember?" Kensi nodded. "Sam, Callen and I were watching the house and then... boom." He made a gesture with his hands and then hung his head. "I thought you were dead Kensi. I thought I had failed you as a partner and if King hadn't wanted you alive... I would have..." She watched entranced by the obvious anguish on his face, the natural stress habit of running a hand through his shaggy locks. " and you wouldn't be here and... I'm not sure I could have ever dealt with that."

Kensi sat on the bed the weight of the confessions hanging in the room. Deeks leaned against the desk and watched her. "I'm not leaving." Deeks said after a long moment. "I'm not leaving NCIS, well... I mean, I'm not going to stop being the LAPD liaison." He closed the space between them and stood in front of her with a little smile before he hit her nose gently. "Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you Fern?"

His phone rang and he pulled it out worried briefly it might be Bethany his hand accidentally hitting speaker a groan filled the room, "talk dirty to me." Deeks managed to look shocked, disgusted, creeped out and even shuddered at the same time- Kensi nearly peed herself laughing.

Deeks hung up and nearly dropped his phone. "What the hell?"

Kensi, in attempt to further patch their fractured partnership took mercy. "Eric."

Deeks glowered at the phone. "Kens, I have an idea." He turned to her and smiled- just a hint but it didn't touch his eyes the way it always did.

Kensi looked at him worriedly, something had obviously been bothering him this entire trip. Still, she didn't ask, couldn't. They were trying to mend their partnership, the last thing she wanted was to completely disembowel it.

He put his hands on her shoulders and bent so they were at eye level with each other. "I'll need your help getting him back."

Kensi was reluctant, she didn't want to end up like Eric with pink hair. After mulling over the pros and cons she finally gave a small smile, "fine, what do you have in mind?"

.

.

He couldn't sleep.

He closed the blinds, had a drink of water, turned on the tv, rolled to his side. After five minutes he got up, paced while speaking typical phrases in Russian, had some more water, tried sleeping on his stomach. Got up, peed, turned off the tv, tried sleeping on his back, rolled onto his left side. Sat up, practised his French, fluffed pillows, tried sleeping on his back, started reading the bible (it was the only book in the room) frustrated he stood giving up.

He couldn't sleep.

Callen just wanted to hit his head against the wall on days like this, days where he was so tired but his insomnia refused to give him the peaceful rest he needed so desperately. Not that he liked sleeping, sleeping typically involved nightmares, or flashes, and he often woke with that sense of falling down stairs.

He couldn't sleep.

Staring longingly at the bed his he laid back down despite having already realized his attempt was futile. He closed his eyes, focussed on his breathing, in deeply, holding the breath for a second before breathing out. Relaxed yes, tired- more like exhausted, sleep-not going to happen.

He couldn't sleep.

He could never sleep.

Giving up he put on a pair of jeans and nondescript shirt and baseball cap, leaving the room feeling dead on his feet. Maybe a long walk would help? Then again, it rarely did.

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Nell had gone exploring alone; Eric had some devious plan he had hatched and Callen had looked dead on his feet and told her he was going to take a nap, she didn't know where Sam was and she really hoped that Kensi and Deeks were working out their... 'thing.'

She wanted to pick up something for Hetty, something to thank the Operations Manager for sending the team on vacation. Nell scratched her shoulder and immediately regretted it. She flinched and frowned looking at her crisp red shoulder. "Shoot."

Adding aloe to her list of things to get she continued walking through the square. She picked up and inspected; a hat, an odd snow-globe that just seemed so very out of place, a purse, and a creepy looking porcelain doll.

"Lovely choice," she could feel a presence behind her. The voice unfamiliar, accented, and the hairs on the back of her neck went up. She suppressed a shudder. "Handpainted."

"Just looking for something for a friend back home." Nell knew she shouldn't be so nervous, she was in the middle of a fairly busy square, it wasn't like he could just mug her or kidnap her. She mentally shook her head, obviously she was dealing with drug cartels, terrorists and human traffickers on an all to frequent basis if this is where her thoughts went upon meeting someone. For all she knew he was a teacher, or a doctor, or the craftsman who made these dolls.

"Looks like you should be looking for some aloe, and maybe a sunhat. You're too fair-skinned."

She turned nervously and got a look at him, he stood at about six foot three, Caucasian, scar on right temple, tattoo on left forearm- skull with a sword through it, a snake slithering around the blade, close cut dark hair, hazel eyes.

Nell Jones wasn't one to judge, and maybe it was the way he was standing a little too close, or the fact that he stood so much taller than her, but she felt trapped, and he gave her the heebie-jeebies.

Swallowing hard she tried to keep her face passive, it wouldn't be hard she had a good poker face, she had to. She worked within NCIS in the Office of Special Projects. She might be an Intelligence Analyse and not a field agent but that didn't mean she couldn't bluff with the best of them.

"You're telling me," she said with fake humour, "serves me right for not bothering with sunblock when I came out of the water." She put the doll back down and noticed that people were beginning to disburse, venders were starting to close. "Oh my, the time must have gotten away with me." Nell glanced at her gold watch noting it close to six. "I really must go, it was nice talking to you."

She made a move to walk away but he grabbed her wrist. "I never got your name sweetheart."

He was too close, his hand gripped her too tight.

Fear seemed to slither up her spine and infect her brain- she, a woman who made a living on her intelligence came up blank.

Her mind a tabula rasa- a blank slate.

"No you didn't." She responded ferociously.

She yelped as he pulled her close. "Come on now, where are your manners?"

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.

Deeks was carrying multiple bags from multiple stores. It had taken hours of store hopping but they'd gotten the right amount of supplies. Kensi had been... tentative- very unlike her. He felt bad, knowing she was walking on eggshells because of his behaviour. "Go, knock on the door."

"And say what if he is there?" Kensi asked, hands on her hips.

"Say you're looking for me," Deeks said with a shrug as they stood together in the ice/vending room.

"Fine."

"I always knew you wanted to creep into my room," Deeks flashed a wide grin.

She smirked, "smart-ass." She poked her head out. "Be right back." And she was gone.

He waited for her, leaning against the vending machine, listening to the hum.

He knew he had to do better to keep himself on track, and more importantly, their partnership. How could he have let his temper get away with him like that? What was he- some teenager with a chip in his shoulder?

No. Not anymore.

He peeked into the bag and smiled- if there was anything to get back to a goofy-happy-go-lucky persona it was a good prank.

"He didn't answer the door," Kensi said stepping back in. He watched her study him for a moment. She opened her mouth to speak but seemed to think better of it. She shut her mouth and stared at him moment longer and he stared back wondering what she was thinking. Finally he heard the slightest sigh escape her lips. "Lets go before we get caught."

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"No way!" Mika said laughter shining in her eyes.

"I'm serious!" Sam responded his arm over her shoulder as they walked down the beach. He felt her arm around his waist and her head rested against his torso. "I couldn't believe it either."

She laughed hysterical, tears coming from her eyes. "Unbelievable."

Sam looked away and frowned at the horizon. Here was a wonderful woman, in his arms, who laughed but she laughed at a fake story of a memory he'd made up. He now remembered why he didn't bother with dating anymore. It was bad enough when you had to go on an op, make someone trust you, make them love you, want you, need you- and then leave them. That was all for the job. It had to be done- it was for the greater good.

This wasn't for the greater good. In fact it would eventually hurt Mika, and Sam knew it was already hurting him. He forced the fake smile as they walked down the beach, Mika indulging him in anecdotes of her childhood.

He held onto her voice, to her stories, her shared memories. He stored every word, every quirk of her full lips, every gaze under her thick eyelashes to his memory.

He really needed to stop this before he couldn't.

"Darius?"

He nearly didn't respond to the alias. Hearing that name from her lips left him cold. She didn't know him, didn't know his name, everything he'd told her- other than drink preference- was a lie.

He forced himself to focus and flashed her a fake smile. "Yes Mika?"

"I'm really glad you're here." She pressed up against him dressed in her little shorts, bikini top and his button up shirt left open over her body. She kissed him and he lost himself in the alias, because the pain he'd feel later was worth the few more moments he could allow himself to have with her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you so much for the reviews, favs, alerts and hits. I'm so happy that people are actually reading this, and some are even taking the time to review, it's quite inspiring. Just saying, this chapter is (in my humble opinion) quite awesome. Enjoy**

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"Let me go!" Nell growled, she'd been about to scream when she seen the glint of the knife and the scream got swallowed by fear.

"Keep nice and quite and no one gets hurt." The man said his voice deep and very intimidating. "Hand over your wallet."

Nell tried to keep a brave face but couldn't keep her hands from shaking when she pulled her wallet from her purse, "please, just let me go, I don't have much, I left everything at the hotel."

The man smiled and she noticed the scar on his lip in the changing light. "Sure sweetheart, that's what they all say." He took the wallet from her hand. "And the watch sweetheart."

"Hey either of you got the time?"

The man was infecting Nell's vision and the tremors of fear were so overwhelming she hardly heard the third party. "Play along sweetheart or so help me I'll slit your throat." He turned away from her, "sorry man, forgot my watch."

"And you?"

Nell had her head down bent at an angle where she could see the knife being pressed into her back.

It struck her seconds after the words had been spoken... it was a voice she knew. She looked up so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash.

Callen stood there casually. Surely to the thug, Callen just looked like a tourist; not a threat. She could see the tension in the Agent's shoulders, and she took note of how he stood; a stance that would allow him to quickly run forward, or to dodge back in defence. And by that, she knew that he knew exactly what was going on. She studied his hands which didn't curl up into a fist, and unlike hers, they weren't shaking. Callen played it as if he didn't have an inkling as to what was going on. And the thug would never suspect him to be any kind of threat with Callen's smaller stature.

But Nell knew better.

She'd seen Callen take down Sam, she'd watched from OPS as he took down guys twice his size everyday.

She didn't know what to say. She let the faux-fearlessness slip and felt as if she might cry- unsure if it was fear, shock or relief that was causing her eyes to prickle.

The knife pressing into her back made the decision for her. She nearly gasped, but kept it together but she knew by the way Callen's eyes narrowed that he had noticed her flinch. "Sorry, no," Nell whispered.

Callen pulled a map from his back pocket and walked forward, "well I was suppose to be meeting a couple of friends of mine," he walked forward as if oblivious, talking. "Dinner at this restaurant, but I'm terrible at maps."

"Look we ain't from around here," the man grumbled angrily and when he stood a little straighter it was obvious he was trying to intimidate Callen.

"Look just see if you can." Callen didn't finish the sentence, by that time he had gotten between them, shot his right arm to curve around Nell's stomach and push her behind him at the same time his left arm shot out to the man's forearm pushing the knife away from her back.

Nell nearly tripped, but caught her balance and watched as Callen grabbed the man's arm, his knee thrusting up and hitting the thug's forearm with such force she heard a sickening crack, the knife clattered to the ground as the man howled with pain. An elbow to the solar plexis right before he swung a leg behind the thug's knee at the same moment he threw an open palm to the throat the combo attack had the man laid out on the ground gasping for air.

"Nell?" Callen was staring down at the man, there was an anger in his voice she'd never heard. G Callen was about as emotionally controlled as you could get, and yet here was a tone she'd never heard from him, staring at his back the tension seemed to come off in waves.

"I'm okay," she responded finding she couldn't get herself to stop shaking. She tried to calm herself but it did no good.

Callen crouched down; Nell couldn't see past his body but he heard Callen's familiar vocal patterns- the words lost on her- and then the man was howling in pain. Callen stood, grabbed the knife that had scattered in the fight and shoved it in his pocket before wrapping an arm around Nell's shoulder pulling her along with him out of the square.

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Kensi and Deeks had worked for the better part of an hour setting up Deek's devious plan. They had one of Eric's cams hooked up down the hall and were monitoring the computer. The Tech's own gear was going to be used against him. "Kens?"

"Yeah?"

Deeks carefully stood up and stepped around looking at his work before grabbing a few more things from the bag. He crouched down beside her and toyed with the mechanics in his hand when he spoke, "ask it."

"Ask what?" She feigned innocence.

"Ask about the card, I know you want to." Deeks looked at her from under his eyelashes.

Kensi bit her lip, she wanted to know. She really did. "If you wanted me to know, you would have told me." She was giving him an out, after all, she was the one who told him to 'respect the pace'.

Deeks pulled the piece and placed it carefully with it's brethren. "You remember when I told you about that elderly woman who'd fake drowning so I'd have to give her CPR when I worked as a lifeguard?" Kensi snorted and Deeks sighed, "that's why."

"What? You were sending the postcard to the old woman?"

"No," Deeks sounded annoyed and Kensi carefully stood and then sat cross-legged on his bed patting the spot next to her. He checked the computer monitor and then sat across from her. "I volunteered that information and you punked me about it. I bring it up now and you hardly contained yourself."

"I didn't mean to offend you, it's kind of funny though, come on."

"Okay, yes it is..." Deeks picked at the hole in his jeans. "But I don't think I would like you very much if you laughed when I told you about this. So I didn't want to. Incase you did..." He shrugged. "I like-liking you."

"I think this is as serious as I've ever seen you." Kensi noted and she put her hand on his, she told herself it was to keep him from further destroying a pair of jeans, but really she just wanted to comfort him somehow. There was something about a man baring his soul to make her feel like a mother-hen. "So I guess it's something serious, and you know me, I'm serious, I wouldn't laugh at something... serious."

"You said serious in that sentence like three times." Deeks looked up at her with a little grin.

"Shut it," she said with a smirk. After a long silence she finally whispered, "will you tell me about the postcard?"

Deeks ran his thumb over the back of her hand, she watched him but he wouldn't look up, he seemed to be studying her fingers. "I was sending it to my mom."

Kensi frowned, she tried to remember, but she couldn't recall him ever mentioning his mother. "Why would you think I would laugh at that?" He just kept rubbing the back of her hand and was surprised when she felt a hot tear hit it, he quickly wiped it away. With her other hand she gently touched the side of his face and tilted his head up.

He looked away but his eyes still glistened, a tear rolled down his cheek and he whipped it away quickly and gave a forced laugh, "wow; now I'm crying. Great."

Her heartstrings pulled painfully. "Marty..." The use of his first name got him to actually look at her.

"She's dead." He supplied and then looking down again, picking at the hole in his jeans once more. "I ordered flowers for her grave over the phone when Hetty told us to go pack our bags, but I wasn't there and didn't write a card." He shrugged, "I have to go on an op when I get back so... I thought I'd send the postcard to the flower shop. They always deliver the tribute to her grave on the right date even if I'm undercover. I know it's dumb, but on the anniversary of..." He stopped and just under the flop of hair she could see the pain written all over his face; _of her death_ didn't need to end his sentence, his face punctuated it perfectly. "I send her favourite flowers in a tribute with a card. I know. _I know_ she can never read it, but..." he shrugged again, "I need to write it."

"It's not dumb." She whispered taking both of his hands into hers as they sat face to face, cross-legged with their knees touching. "It shows what a wonderful son you are, and that you love her unconditionally."

It nearly made him sob when she said _love_ and not _loved_. She understood.

"Do you... how did she..." Kensi looked down and looked back up shyly. "Never done the care and share before. I'm not sure if I should ask... or not."

"Not. Definitely not." Deeks replied. "But thanks." He looked up at her and smiled looking lighter than he had the entire trip. "Trying to pretend like it wasn't bothering me... wasn't going so well."

"Didn't notice." Kensi kept a straight face but Deeks laughed. "Come on then, lets finish getting this set up before Eric gets back.

They both gingerly got off the bed, Kensi was going for one of the bags when Deeks grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you Kensi."

She smiled and for one moment let herself lean in, she told herself it was for his sake, he needed a friend, he needed someone who understood and needed the human contact. "Anytime Marty."


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you repeat readers for your continued support, for all the favs/ alerts and especially those of you who take your time to leave a review! **

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Sam was kicking himself as he walked along the beach.

He really should have ended it with Mika. He needed to. It had to happen. Today was the end of day two of their vacation. How long could he prolong it? It was only going to make it worse. More painful for both parties.

He was a glutton for punishment.

Seeing a blonde head starting out at the water he headed for the figure knowing instinctively who it was. "Want some company?"

Eric looked up and smiled at Sam, "sure. What's up?"

Sam dropped down heavily to the sand. How was it that he felt purposeful, strong and... _weightless_ in his natural element- the ops centre. And here on _vacation_ of all things how was it that he felt the weight of the world now? "Thinking about how to break up with the perfect woman."

Eric looked over shocked, "why the hell would you want to do that?"

"Well, she knows me as an alias, everything I've told her is a lie."

Looking puzzled Eric asked; "well why did you do that?"

Had it have been Deeks or even Callen he would have gotten a swat, but it was Eric their young Tech. "Because it's what we do as agents." Sam shrugged and wiggled his toes in the sand. The simple pleasures of life were something he did enjoy when he had the time to do so. "It's our life. Lie after lie."

"Sounds like you could use a drink," Eric reached into the bag beside him and pulled out a bottle of Bourbon and waved it side to side.

Sam took it and studied the bottle. "Didn't peg you for a Bourbon man."

"I'm full of surprises."

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"Callen?" Nell asked, tremors of fear still lingered in her voice, and Callen prickled at them. "Callen where are we going?" He stopped, they'd walked a long way from the square and in the opposite direction of the hotel. He'd walked fast, his arm around her the entire time not matching his steps to her smaller stride but tugging her along.

He was breathing out of rhythm, and wasn't sure if it was the distance, or the complete exhaustion. Really he knew what it was, it was the fear-that absolute, down to the bone fear that always struck him when one of his Agents were in danger.

This wasn't an 'Agent' though, it wasn't Kensi who would have disarmed that man in ten seconds and stabbed his hand to the table for daring to touch her.

It was Nell, their Intelligence Analyst, a woman who was not trained for situations like this.

Not feeling like admitting fear at that moment he blamed it on the exhaustion and distance. Insomnia though, he'd never been more grateful for. What would have happened had he slept? He shuddered at the though.

He let his arm slip from her shoulders and forced himself to focus. "Nell, are you alright?"

She stared at him breathing heavily and took a step back. That's when Callen realized it. She wasn't just scared of the situation with the thug.

She was scared of him.

He seen the look before, the one where someone realizes that he is a lot more dangerous than he appears. Despite her knowing him to be an agent, knowing he's killed people, that he's harmed people, seeing it all unfold, not on the screen in the OPS Centre but for real it was shocking and she looked pale. Even for her.

"You should sit," he motioned her to a path ledge but made no move to invade her personal space. The last thing he wanted was to further scare her.

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Her legs felt like Jell-o since the attack. The quick paced walk for the past twenty minutes hadn't helped either. She was still trying to sort out what had happened. Her mind going through it all, rewinding, slowing it down. Callen's warm arm over her shoulder provided her with the only warmth, she was so cold.

She replayed the moment Callen had come in, like a hero in a comic book, at exactly the right moment. She'd watched him beat the man down, and then she could hear the echo of that man's pain. Despite having not seen Callen do it, she remembered when she looked back how the man had been cradling his hand howling.

Callen had broken at least one of the thugs fingers; a warning.

And a reminder to her; G Callen was a very dangerous man.

"Callen?" She spoke, ashamed of the fear. Not just the fear, but the reason behind it. "Callen where are we going?"

She felt him shudder and the final bit of warmth left her as his arm fell from her shoulders. "Nell, are you alright?" He studied her and she wondered what he saw. A weak woman? Someone who needed to be protected? No he didn't see females like that- he respected Kensi's ability to protect herself.

She hadn't, she couldn't.

She prayed he didn't see the fear.

"You should sit," he motioned to a ledge.

She felt like crying.

She was scared of him, and she could see it in the way he backed off from her that he knew it too.

Despite the fear she wanted that bit of comfort back. He was dangerous, but not to her. In her mind, he was safety, he wouldn't allow anything to happen to her.

Despite the fact they were laying low- agents that were suppose to be invisible and couldn't get involved with the police- he'd given that man a warning. She knew despite not knowing what he said; he had been ensuring that man would never again come creeping up to her.

He hadn't just done it with words, G Callen was a man of action. No empty threats. Broken fingers were a pretty good way of showing how serious you are. _And he was serious_.

She still stood, staring at him, and he was studying her as if it were the first time he'd ever seen her.

"Did he hurt you?" He was using a soft tone, she imagined it was the kind of voice he used with children. He gave her a wide berth as he walked around to inspect her back. She knew it had bled, but it hadn't hurt too bad, it just was more of an annoyance. She'd just gotten this top. "It appears to have stopped bleeding..."

"G?"

"Yeah Nell?"

She turned around and walked right into him wrapping her arms around him. The fear slipped away.

She had decided.

Despite how dangerous he was, he was her safety, her protector, her hero tonight. "Thanks," her voice wobbled as she broke free of the shock and started to cry.

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Shot five of Bourbon, the whoosh of the gentle tide and the quiet tunes played out of Eric's ipod had both men in a relaxed state and when Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody started playing Sam was surprised from Eric's drunken singing.

"Is this the real life?

Is this just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide,

No escape from reality"

Eric took a big swig from the bottle and breathed out harshly but continued where the song was at.

"Little high, little low,

Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to

me, to me"

At this point Sam joined in and the two swayed watching the waves, sung drunkenly- occasionally slipping up the words or coming in completely off cue- it didn't matter, both of them had a goofy smile on their faces.

"Too late, my time has come,

Sends shivers down my spine, body's aching all

the time

Goodbye, everybody, I've got to go,

Got to leave you all behind and face the truth

Mamaaaaa oooh,

I don't want to die,

I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all"

Both men stopped singing and Eric kicked his feet in the sand, "singing it and thinking about the job." Eric glared at the Bourbon and passed it to Sam. "Bad song." Eric looked a little green and pushed the bottle over to Sam.

Sam hadn't really thought about the song lyrics- or how it would effect him when he thought about it. "It is a little depressing," Sam agreed snatching the Ipod and shuffling through it taking a pull from the bottle at the same time.

Guitar filled the air, and then hits of the drum and Eric laughed.

"ROXANNE!" They both shouted at the same time.

They both fell into an uncontrollable fit of laughter; the two men couldn't have been more different had they tried. But they ultimately were more than colleagues, they were friends. As the main verse came up Eric took the "Roxanne" part while Sam took the "put on the red light."

They weren't very in synch, but that didn't matter. What mattered was the smiles on their faces and the drunken memory of singing on the beach.

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"Thanks," her voice was heavy with emotions and he was surprised by the arms around his waist. Her body seemed to be shaking, and his shirt was feeling wet.

She was crying.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. G Callen didn't do well with hugging. It felt weird. Emotions were usually involved, and he was even more uncomfortable with those. He wasn't sure exactly what to do, but when getting hugged, people typically reciprocated instead of standing immobile with their hands at their sides. He loosely wrapped his arms around her not wanting her to feel trapped after her night, and the nagging in his gut told him she had been afraid of him. At least a little.

"I'm sorry?" He meant it to come out sincere but it came out like a question.

"What?" Nell looked up her eyes bleary with tears. "What on Earth do you have to be sorry for?"

Callen shrugged, "I assumed since you were crying it was something I had done to upset you."

She stared at him blankly for a moment. "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard." She smiled. "You have nothing to be sorry for, I'm thankful you came. Thank you, you... you saved me."

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**Drunken songs sung by Sam and Eric are Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and Roxanne by the Police **.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks to all who have read and everyone who has reviewed! **

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"Blue," Kensi answered as she laid back on the bed. "Yours?"

"Blue, see we _do _have something in common," he smiled at her. They both laid on their backs and but looked at each other. "Why?"

"Huh?" Kensi looked confused and Deeks smiled.

"Why is your favourite colour blue?"

She looked back to the ceiling thinking about it. "My dad and I spent an entire summer fixing up this baby blue 1967 Impala." She smiled, "it's one of my favourite memories, I guess I've loved the colour ever since. Your reason?"

"The beach," he stated simply.

They both laid in silence, Deeks propped himself up on his elbows to look at the computer screen. Still no one of immediate interest in the hallway. "Imagine if there was a fire drill." Deeks said and then grinned as he looked over to her, "insta-karma!"

She rolled her eyes but Deeks had caught the twitch of her lips. "You better knock on wood if your superstitious."

They got caught up in a staring contest and then Deeks quickly turned over and knocked twice on the wooden side table. "Just to be safe." She laughed at him and he flopped back down beside her. "Shh, shh!" He covered her mouth with his hands and she swatted him away, sitting up with a icy glare.

"Don't put your hands on my mouth," she whispered indignantly.

Deeks tried, but he couldn't help it, "Fern my hands are like Mastercard, accepted everywhere." He gave her a suggestive wink that had her throwing a punch into his arm. "Ooowh!" He whined and then pointed with his good arm to the computer screen. Not just Eric, but also Sam. "Get your light." They moved with the synchronization of a well rehearsed partners- only this time it wasn't to get a bad guy. In the dark they both scooted up the bed till they were both sitting and nearly shaking with excitement.

The two men were singing drunkenly off key and Kensi put her hand over Deeks' mouth to keep him from laughing out loud, and he mirrored putting his had over her mouth feeling her shaking trying to keep the laugher contained.

The door eased open with a creak, "I think Marty is asleep," he heard Eric say in a voice that would wake the dead. "But come in, I'll get you the file." And like it was an afterthought; "shh."

Kensi and Deeks looked at each other in the dark, the spark in their eyes like two children on Christmas morning and then they both looked back and waited.

They didn't wait long.

"Ow, shit!" Eric cursed and they could hear the clicking of the mice traps closing down. Sam howled and they both tried to get in, figure out what was going on.

Cursing, snapping of the traps, and blatant screaming echoed in the room.

Kensi and Deeks let go of their hold on each other and turned on their lights and their laughter joined the noise in the room.

Eric could now see the safety of his bed and dove to it. Sam on the other hand hopped foot to foot before jumping up on to the desk.

Kensi and Deeks were absolutely howling with laughter.

The dirty looks from Eric and the threats from Sam went unnoticed.

Kensi watched the spark of life come back on in Deeks' eyes, and the first time since this roller coaster of a trip had started, she believed things would be okay.

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Callen had never felt comfortable with acknowledgement. He made his living on the fact that he was invisible, a nobody, and yet could be anybody.

"We should get back to the hotel," Callen kept his voice quiet even though there wasn't anyone around to eavesdrop. "I don't want that cut to get infected." There was worry in his voice, he'd tried to keep completely professional but the emotion got lodged in his throat and sparked in his voice.

Nell nodded, "I've had enough adventure for one night," she pulled back and frowned, "oh Callen, I'm sorry." She wiped at his shirt, "I got mascara on you."

He looked down, at his grey t-shirt and noticed the black marks right where her eyes had rested. "It's fine Nell." He tilted her head up so she would see he was smiling, "it's not one of Hetty's." She returned the smile and he took a look over her once more. She was getting some colour back to her cheeks, standing a little straighter, her confidence back. Her skin was covered in little bumps from the cold and he slowly put his arm over her shoulder, his warm hand rubbing her arm, "you're freezing."

"Didn't think I'd be out so long," Nell confessed leaning into the source of warmth. Her arm found it's way around his back and they walked in a comfortable silence toward the hotel.

Nell was surprised when she felt Callen switch directions and he opened the door to a café, "you need to warm up Nell."

She looked in, there were couples sitting, drinking from mugs, eating biscuits, there was soft music, and she could feel the warmth from the building by just being near the door. She wanted to warm up, but... "I just want to get back to the hotel," Nell looked up at him from under her lashes, "please, I just... please just take me back, G, please."

She didn't know where the begging came from, but the fear re-emerged. The café seemed too confined, too many people.

There had been other people in the market, had they really not noticed?

Or had they simply ignored the fact that she was getting mugged?

Hysteria was brimming and she really wanted to be alone in her room when it hit. She thought of Kensi- maybe she'd just pay for her own room for the night.

She just wanted a moment to fall apart. She refused to look weak in front of the agents. Then again, wouldn't begging would be perceived as weak to Callen?

She felt ill and her breath came in gulps.

Callen was watching Nell with a calculating eye, she'd been fine till he'd tried to get her warm. He let the door close and rubbed her arms lightly. He could feel the cold bumps, feel the tremors, she was going to cry, worse- she was going to fall apart. He knew it. She was trying so damn hard to keep it together.

"Nell, it's okay, I'll take you back to the hotel if that's what you want." He looked inside just to double check, to see if she had seen something to make her have this reaction. He didn't see anything that jumped at him so he turned his attention back to Nell. "Nell it's okay," he whispered soothingly gently pulling her into his chest hoping she'd stop trembling, "it's okay Nell, I wouldn't ever let anything happen to you, you're safe now. It's okay."

The trembling wasn't ceasing, but Nell could feel the warm hands rubbing circles on her back, carefully avoiding the cut. The motion and heat was as comforting as the words he was whispering. She felt one of his arms leave her and she looked up, he was hailing a cab. "Come on, I'll get you back Nell."

Tears obscured her vision but she nodded and allowed Callen to lead her to the cab. She leaned against him when he got in after her. He was right, she was freezing and she hadn't even noticed to what extent until the warmth of the car started to seep into her skin.

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"I'm going to kill you both," Sam was saying as he detached a mousetrap from the side of his foot.

"Come on Sam! We were only trying to get Eric, how were we to know you were coming too?" Kensi asked and even despite her training she couldn't get the giddy smile off her face.

"Dead. Both of you." Sam responded angrily pulling the last of the mouse traps off his big toe.

"That was payback," Deeks said actually daring to throw a pillow at Sam. It bounced off his face and hit the floor causing a few more mouse traps to snap. "You got Eric the itching powder!"

"Son of a ooow!" Eric cried taking one of the traps off. "Itching isn't this painful Deeks!"

"Yeah well my junk hasn't felt the same since."

"Deeks!" Kensi whined, "too much info!"

"What kind of man puts itching powder into another man's pajamas?" Deeks glared at Eric. "That crossed lines dude." Deeks head was knocked back at the impact of Sam throwing the mousetrap covered pillow back. "Owh!" One of the wooden corners had hit Deeks in the eyebrow and blood was pouring down his face.

"Shit." Sam muttered.

"We are no longer even!" Deeks muttered angrily looking over the side of the bed. There was no way he could get off with only one eye and not step on one. "Karma, you are a fickle bitch."

"I'll get a cloth," Kensi whispered knowing that Deeks was getting blood in his eye it wouldn't be able to get around the traps without his peripheral vision. She was practically on her tip-toes they had so many traps from the door to Eric's bed, she tried to walk by the ones Sam and Eric had already stepped by. She jumped into the bathroom and grabbed a glass, filling it with bottled water, the bar of soap and a face cloth.

"Sorry Deeks," Sam was saying when she'd returned. She nearly walked onto a trap because she was so shocked. Sam had managed to get over to the bed and was hugging a confused Deeks. "I love you man!"

Kensi laughed, "he's a happy drunk," she explained, "he's probably already forgotten all about the mouse trap deal."

"I'll remind him in the morning," Eric responded, "Marty?" When Deeks looked over Sam's shoulder he caught Eric's glare. "You're a dick."

"Noted," Deeks responded.

"You are annoying," Sam said, "but you're a good guy, and you're a good partner for Kensi." Heavy hits to the back- which Deeks suspected were suppose to be friendly and not painful like they were. Sam pulled away and looked Deeks right in the eye, "you're all right man." He seemed to be surprised by the blood he then looked to the pillow, "sorry man! I wasn't thinking."

"It's cool big guy."

"I'll take care of him," Kensi said stepping over the last trap and getting onto the bed safely.

Sam leaned his groggy head on Kensi's shoulder, "you're awesome Kens."

She smiled at him, "I know." She then dipped the cloth in water and pressed it to the cut on Deeks. He didn't flinch, but he definitely pouted.

.

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Callen got out of the car first, and paid the driver while Nell followed. They walked toward the hotel, and Callen wasn't sure if he should put his arm back around her or not. He didn't have the excuse that she was cold and he was just trying to keep her warm anymore. He didn't want to invade her personal space and could see that she was mulling something over. "Nell?"

She looked up at him, her eyes looked tired, and haunted by the day, still on the verge of tears. "Yeah?" She whispered.

"Why don't you stay with me tonight?" He asked. "You can take Sam's bed."

She studied him a moment.

"I take it you don't want to go explaining anything to Kensi tonight, but you know Kens- she'll take one look at you and start prying." Callen reasoned. "Besides I really should do first aid on that cut, and then you can get some sleep."

She just wanted to be alone, but at the same time, his company didn't sound like a bad thing. And besides, her bank account was already going to be low with her rent having automatically come out of her account the day before, and rent in downtown LA wasn't cheap. And she knew Callen wouldn't pry for feelings or explanations. He understood that need for privacy. Besides, he already knew. "Where will Sam sleep."

"Sam left me with out a room for one night, pay backs a bitch," he said with a shrug and a sly smile.

"Okay."

Nell had wanted a shower, so while Callen left her alone to have her little breakdown- he knew it was coming but he was going to ensure that it was little, then she would have to pick up the pieces and put them back together or he'd do it for her. He used her key to get into the girls room, having knocked first- the last thing he wanted was another Bosnia moment that he and Kensi would forever refuse to talk about.

She wasn't there, and he quickly found clothing that belonged to Nell though he did feel a little weird when he came across the underwear section. Finally he just grabbed the undergarment that were on top regardless of colour coordination of the bra and stuffed them into the bag with her hair comb, elastic and toothbrush.

He heard the shower still going when he returned, he opened the door and with out looking set the bag down and pushed it with his leg into the bathroom before shutting the door again. Remembering that Sam might return he took great joy in putting out the _Do Not Disturb _sign.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are always awesome! **

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By the time Kensi had finished cleaning the blood from Deeks's face, Sam had fallen asleep on his side across the bed and was snoring loudly. Eric hadn't faired much better but was sprawled out, but at least was sleeping silently.

Deeks had gone over to Eric and pushed him over so instead of laying on his back he was on his side, taken off the tech's flip flops and glasses. Kensi had watched and had been oddly touched, Deeks didn't strike her as the 'maternal' type. She hadn't meant to but after an afternoon of revelations and confessions it just kind of slipped. "It's sweet of you to take care of him."

Deeks turned to look at her, then turned back to pull a blanket over the younger man. "Didn't think about it, habit I guess."

"Habit?"

Deeks bit his tongue, he'd been giving when it came to his past. Okay- that was pushing it, he'd relented today because he'd known just how close he'd come to screwing up an absolutely amazing partnership- not to mention nearly nuking their 'thing.' "It's nothing Kens." When he turned back around and looked at her, he could see the clear disbelief on her face. "Really, I just put him in the recovery position like anyone would." He was getting defensive. It was one thing to talk about his mother, but he wasn't talking about his father. Not tonight.

"Okay," she whispered and he wondered if he damaged the bridge of information between them by shutting her out. He hoped not.

"I'm sorry Kens, just... can we let this one go?"

She studied him, the pain was etched in his face. "Yeah," she nodded slightly, "it's okay, I can respect the pace."

"Glad to hear it." He sat back down on the bed and fell back exhausted.

She laid down next to him, "so favourite ice cream flavour?"

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Nell came out of the shower to find that Callen had put a bag of clothing near the door for her. Sleep wear in the form of shorts and a t-shirt, but also a set of casual clothes for morning so she wouldn't have to do the 'walk of shame.' Not that she and Callen- she felt silly even letting her mind go that far. Shaking her head she put on the comfortable pajamas that reminded her of home. They'd been a present from her mother last Christmas and always put a smile on her face. Despite the events of the night Nell took comfort in the pajamas, in the fact that she was back at the hotel, safe and sound. Thanks to Callen.

In the shower her mind had gone over the what if's. What if Callen hadn't shown up? What if the thug had just gotten agitated and stabbed her? What if he'd kidnapped her? She'd forced herself to stop. Stop crying. Stop the fear that had ebbed its way into her soul. She dealt in facts. Fact: Callen had been there. Fact: Callen had taken that guy out. Fact: Callen had gotten her to the safety of the hotel. Fact: That as much as she wanted to be alone, she wasn't. Fact: She was kind of okay with not being alone. It was actually kind of nice. Fact: She was nervous. Not because Callen was dangerous but because she never really spent any great length of time alone with the Senior Agent.

She'd gone out with the rest of the agents and Eric plenty of times, at least twice a week. They always had a good time, Deeks actually seemed content to be the designated driver. So it wasn't like they were strangers, and it wasn't like they were just colleagues. They were friends, but this was one friend she didn't really know that well, she hadn't spent any time just... talking to him. This made her nervous.

She rubbed the access water from her hair and brushed her teeth in case she fell asleep. She was a stickler for dental hygiene. She stepped out and the room was considerably cooler than the bathroom. Callen sitting on the bed staring at the infomercial on the television. "Thought you might have fallen to sleep," she said realizing how late it had gotten from the clock on the bed side table.

"Not yet," he replied and she really got a good look at him. He looked much like he always did, he seemed a bit more tan from spending days on the beach, but his eyes were hooded and a little bloodshot- it was his eyes that gave him away. He looked fine, could act fine, but she could tell he was absolutely exhausted. He stood, "let me see your back."

She turned and lifted the back of her shirt looking over her shoulder she seen his jaw clench and his eyes get cold. He grabbed a first aid kit, it wasn't hotel issue and surely something either he or Sam had brought with them.

He carefully dabbed on antiseptic and taped a patch over it. He wasn't a medic but now that he was fairly certain it wouldn't get infected he felt better. He put the first aid kit away and sat back down on the bed- his legs were so tired and his eyes kept wanting to shut, he'd wanted to sleep all day but now that his body was ready to give in his mind kept fretting over Nell and didn't want to shut off.

She stood around unsure of where to sit, what to talk about. There was an unease about the situation. Finally Callen grabbed the pillow beside him and propped it up. "I don't really watch television, you can change the channel if you like."

She sat down on the bed beside him, "not a big tv watcher either," she said, "I spend all day in the ops centre watching a big screen, coming home to a big screen doesn't seem too appealing."

She pushed the cuticles back on her nails and looked over at him when he wasn't paying attention. It was strange, they worked together in close proximity everyday and somehow this was incredibly different and Nell- a woman of words- couldn't think of a single thing to say. Rattled by this she forced the first thing that came to mind, "what were you doing at the market?"

Callen registered the question and looked over at Nell who was staring wide-eyed at him waiting for his answer. "Couldn't sleep," he responded, "went for a walk."

"You were dead on your feet earlier, why couldn't you sleep?"

Callen raised an eyebrow, "insomnia, how long have you worked at O.S.P?" He asked but by the lilt in his voice it wasn't a question, it was a joke.

"Why can't you sleep Callen?" She asked quietly.

He frowned and squirmed in his spot on the bed. There were plenty of people he would say 'none of your business' too.

His mind was his, his nightmares were his, his memories were his. He didn't own a lot of material possessions, the things he valued most were those things stored away in his mind. Growing up in the system hadn't taught him to share.

He knew because, damn it, people loved telling him how closed off, how guarded he is. He didn't want to be analysed.

But he couldn't just tell Nell off. And after what had happened that afternoon he felt since she shared her little breaks, he'd cut her one. "Insomnia, nightmares, flashes," he shrugged, "don't want to sleep, can't when I need to." There was an underlying tone of absolute exhaustion in his voice, maybe the walk had done it's job... or maybe it was coming down from the adrenaline, the fear washed away knowing she was safe.

She yawned wide, "I feel bad taking Sam's spot."

"Don't," he responded and then wondered if the sheets had been changed. He frowned, "maybe you should just sleep here." She raised an eyebrow, and he didn't feel like saying to the young analyst that Sam had, had a lady friend overnight, because that would be so very awkward. "It's unlikely I'll sleep here anyways," he decided sitting up. He could always go over his case files, check emails, stay awake.

With out thinking she just grabbed his arm, "I'm not a little girl Callen." His jaw clenched when he turned back, the way the t-shirt was clinging to her curves and the shorts were showing off her legs he was well aware she wasn't a little girl. "Sam had sex."

"Woah!" Callen laughed, "at least I tried to go for subtlety."

"And you would have ended up staying up all night, or sleeping in a chair because you're too much of a gentleman to sleep beside me."

His eyebrows rose, "I'm a gentleman now?" When did this happen?"

She glared at him, "you can't sleep in jeans."

"Who says?" He asked thinking jeans were fine, considering he didn't own pajamas, sweat pants sure, but why bother changing from one pair of pants to another, he didn't get it.

"I say, they're uncomfortable," Nell said pushing the blankets down so she could get her chilled legs under. "Drop 'em." Noting Callen's confused look she frowned, "what? Don't want me to know if it's boxers or briefs?"

"Are you serious?" he asked incredulously.

She raised a well sculpted eyebrow, "you're exhausted, we're both mature adults I'm pretty sure we can manage."

All Callen could think was _how the hell is laying practically naked next Nell going to help me sleep_. This would be a moment that would keep him awake at night.

He took off his shirt and Nell noted the bullet marks and felt her heart constrict. "How long did it take to heal?"

Frowning he looked at his torso, the bullet wounds were prominent but in the right light they weren't alone, he'd been stabbed a few times- the lines had grown faint over time, there were burn marks and a list of injuries that didn't mar his skin. Each with it's own haunting memory that kept his eyes open and fuelled his ever growing paranoia. "Too long," he responded recalling the time spent at the hospital, then the time spent at Sam's because his partner knew he didn't have a permanent residence not to mention the fact he needed to be watched over with the condition his body had been in. He'd hated it. The feelings of uselessness, helplessness. He undid his jeans and let them fall in a heap on the floor.

"Briefs," Nell noted with a sly smile, black ones that didn't leave much to the imagination.

He quickly got under the blankets, "I thought we were going to be mature adults about this."

"Oh we are," Nell responded. They lapsed into a moment of silence before she her voice came out soft. "Thanks again for today Callen, I'm sorry I wigged out earlier. I don't know what came over me... I just couldn't face all those people-"

"In such a small unpredictable space," he finished for her.

She glared, "now I know how it feels when I do that to you and Eric."

He smiled, "I don't mind it so much." It annoyed him at first, but the humour he found in it when she did it to Eric made it worth it. His eyes shut for a moment and he forced them open. "You okay?" He asked, he knew the wound was small, uncomfortable but it would heal quick. He wasn't asking about it, he was asking about the state of her mind.

She reached over him and grabbed the remote, turning off the tv and plunging them into the dark. "We should sleep."

"You're avoiding my question Nell."

She was quiet for a long moment, "yeah... I think I'm okay, but... I'm worried..." she felt a little better confessing her fear in the dark. She felt him move, settling down so his head was on the pillow. She laid facing him and could make out the silhouette of his face. "I thought I was good, and then you took me to the café and I wasn't." She frowned, "I wish I were more like Kensi, she wouldn't have ever got caught in that situation to begin with."

"No one else can be Kensi," Callen responded sleepily. "Kensi has worked her ass off and lives with heightened awareness, she knows how to fight and knows how to survive." He yawned and she felt even worse about herself now. Kensi was a total badass was the sum of what Callen had said, which implied she was the very opposite. "You're an intelligence analyst." The silhouette changed as he turned from looking toward the ceiling to looking at her. "You're smart, funny, quick witted, you have a spring to your step, a joy, an innocence."

"An innocence? Like I'm a five year old."

"No," Callen's voice was saddened, "like that innocence most of us lost far to young and keep trying to reclaim."

She reached out to him and her hand touched his chest, his voice was so sad and she just wanted to comfort him. "You guys see a lot of horrible stuff on the job."

"We do," he replied, "not just because of what you can do for the team, but I'm glad Hetty hired you because you bring that light back into ops centre. Remind me of why I do what I do." She caught it, no longer talking about the team, he was glad she was there.

She smiled, "even if I can't kick ass."

"The rest of us will kick ass for you." Callen promised.

"Thanks G."

"Anytime."

"Good night." Despite wanting to get closer to Callen to revel in the warmth she stayed where she was. Last thing she wanted was to ruin her friendship with the Senior Agent.

"G'night Nell," it didn't matter how tired he was, could feel her breath on his shoulder and he knew he wouldn't fall asleep, he'd have just liked to wrap an arm around her but the last thing he wanted was to ruin his friendship with the Intelligence Analyst.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews on the last chapter, they were truly inspiring! **

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When Kensi awoke she noticed her feet were hanging off the bed. Her head wasn't on a pillow but on Deeks's stomach, she couldn't help but wonder how the heck she had slept with his breathing making her neck move forward as his lungs filled with air and tipped back as he breathed out. Then again, she wondered how Sam had slept with her legs over his arm and torso. Eric looked like he was the only one who'd slept proper and she couldn't help but wonder why the heck the three of them ended up on one bed and the scrawny Tech got a bed to himself.

She didn't mind, not really. The two men were warm, warm enough that for once she didn't sleep with a mountain of heavy blankets on top of herself. Deeks's arm was around her waist, she hadn't noticed till his hand clenched into her ribs but he released her an instant later. She looked to his face to note he seemed incredibly concentrated on whatever scenario his mind had created. He then pouted.

She didn't want to wake either of them up, but she really had to pee. Moving her legs slowly she realized Sam had a hold of her by the ankle so she tried moving Deeks's arm so she could sit up. This resulted in him grabbing her harder and pulling her towards him. "No," Deeks grumbled in his sleep.

"I have to pee," she whispered.

His face scrunched and his head turned away from her, "no," he muttered again.

"Deeks," no longer caring about letting him sleep she shook him roughly, "Deeks? Marty! Wake up." She shook him again and his eyes snapped open, their colour was faded grey-blue and there was an obvious state of panic laying within them. "Marty? Marty, it's okay."

It took him a minute, he blinked, looked around the room and let her go. He rubbed his eyes and looked around a minute longer getting his bearings before looking to his partner his eyes re-focussed and that intense blue shade had returned, "Kensi?"

"You okay?"

His heart was hammering in his chest, "yeah," his breath hadn't returned to normal and he the paranoia the dream had brought on had yet to fade.

"What the heck were you dreaming about?" Kensi asked rubbing the sore spot where he'd grabbed her.

"Leprechauns," he lied. "Creepy bastards."

Kensi didn't believe him but didn't exactly want to give up information from her own life so she let it slide. "I have to pee... then I should text Nell, Callen too, we should all do breakfast we haven't all hung out together since we got here."

"Sounds good," Deeks responded sitting up his heart rate was back to normal and his breathing had taken to a steady rhythm, "watch your step though."

Kensi had nearly forgotten but the memory of Eric and Sam howling in pain as mouse traps snapped around them put a smile on her face. "Will do."

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Callen was on the very edge of the bed when he woke up. Looking at the clock he calculated the amount of sleep he'd gotten. Close to three hours, he frowned. Looking over his shoulder he seen Nell was still sleeping soundly on her back her face tilted toward him.

The warm air had tantalized his back every time she breathed out. It was driving him nuts, his exhausted mind had gone unchecked and he kept having to go over Russian phrases to keep out fantasies that would surely mess up the way he'd look at her from now till... probably forever.

Sitting up and rubbing his eyes he did feel more refreshed, three hours in two days wasn't horrible. Okay. It was. Even for him. But the quality of sleep had been good. Solid hours, not adding up ten minute here, twenty there. Two hours, and two half hour segments. That was an improvement.

He turned over to face her and wondered what it was about her that in the past few days had gotten under his skin. Most recently she had died her red hair back to her natural deep brown colour. Maybe he had a thing for brunettes? She was small, a strong jaw line- he shook his head trying to make the analysing stop.

He wasn't good in relationships. He wasn't looking for a relationship and he didn't want one. They were work, and he already had a job. He forced himself to sit up and go to the washroom. Splashing cold water on his face stopped his mind for a second but after the hiccup it was right back to Nell.

"I'm in over my head," he muttered to himself and felt this was overdue karma for teasing Kensi about being 'smitten' with Jason Wyler.

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When Nell awoke she was in the bed alone and could hear the shower going in the bathroom. She was glad that they'd been able to talk, and sleep in the same bed like _mature adults_. At the same time she managed to be disappointed that they had slept in the same bed like _responsible adults_.

It had been a while since her last break up, she missed the nuances of a relationship. She missed the getting to know, the spontaneity of young love, she missed someone being beside her in bed, hell she missed sex.

She was torn, part of her kind of wished something had happened, and the other was grateful nothing had. She wanted Callen to be her friend, and God she wanted to be able to show her face in the Office of Special Projects with out being the girl who had tried to have a relationship with a Senior Agent.

Who knew what would happen if she tried something. What if he didn't like her like that? Sure he'd protected her, but any of the Agents would have. They were trained for it, made for it. They would never just walk away leaving her in danger.

What if they did try and it just didn't work out. She'd have to transfer, there would be no way around it, and she didn't want to leave Eric- he was the best technical operator she'd ever encountered, and more than that, he was probably her best friend. Nor did she want to leave the company of the other agents and knew Callen wouldn't, they were the closest thing to family he had.

She heard the shower stop and smiled just a little. Maybe she couldn't have him the way she wanted, but they could still be friends and colleagues, and that would just have to suffice. She was unwilling to risk the consequences of altering the relationship.

Her phone went off, and then she heard another tone coming from the floor. _Callen's _she thought. She found a text on hers from Kensi. _'Fell asleep in Deeks's room. Eric and Sam are hungover. Bad. Fill you in on hilarity later. Breakfast?'_

Callen came out of the bathroom and Nell simply stated, "your phone rang."

He stared at her a moment before nodding and finding it in the pants he'd discarded the night before. As he stood in the same spot he had the night before Nell couldn't help but think about how he'd looked in those black briefs. _Damn it, so much for mature adult,_ she thought.

"Kens wants to do breakfast she's with the rest of the team." Callen announced.

"I know," Nell waved her phone, "got the text." She winced as she stood up and grabbed her back.

"You okay," a concerned Callen came up to her. "The cut hurts?"

"Just a bit," Nell admitted and then grinded her teeth. Normal people admitted pain, agents seemed to just take it in stride. Except Deeks, but then again he complained about a hangnail but took two bullets like a champ. "I had forgotten about it. It surprised me that's all."

She watched his face, the furrow of his eyebrows as he stared her down, his eyes still looked tired and she wondered how much sleep he had gotten the night before. "You want to shower before we go down?"

"Yeah, I'll be quick."

"Take your time," he responded casually.

She was hungry and she really didn't want the alone time to think about the night before, or to think about Callen which her mind seemed content being stuck on. So she was quick but by the time she'd gotten out of the shower Callen was sound asleep on the bed.

A smile flirted upon her face he looked so peaceful, content and innocent as he slept she couldn't bare the thought of waking him. She picked up his phone from where he'd placed it upon the desk and shot Kensi a quick message saying only: _rain check _.

She wondered if it would be suspicious if she did the same but decided since Kensi had taken the first day to sleep in she could say this was hers and grabbed her phone: _sleeping in today, I'll text when I wake up_. She shucked off the pair of jeans- following her no jeans in bed rule- and laid on top of the blankets with him. After all if she opened the door the highly trained agent would surely wake, and he needed his sleep. Besides she could use the extra few hours herself, or she could just lay content watching him.

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"Callen's not coming." Kensi said and Deeks laughed.

"Your pouting Kens," he said pressing the down button.

"Shh!" Sam's shush was angry and Kensi and Deeks both grinned.

"I need pancakes," Eric muttered. "Something to absorb the alcohol. I think I may still be drunk."

"Really?" Deeks asked way too loud. Eric covered his head. "Nope, you're hung over."

"Deeks," Sam damn near growled, "you talk with that tone again I'll hang you like a heavy bag and beat the hell out of you."

"Noted," Deeks whispered as the elevator opened.

Kensi was still in the clothing from yesterday other than her shirt, Deeks had lent her a clean one and she was grateful but she really wanted a shower and would get one once they finished with breakfast.

Inside Eric pressed the '1' button and the elevator begun it's decent.

"We have to do awesome stuff today, together as a group." Kensi announced much to the hungover men's dismay. Her phone went off as she received Nell's message.

"Nell coming?" Sam asked.

"Sleeping in, I'll wake her when I go to shower," Kensi responded putting her phone back in her pocket. "Each one of us should pick an activity we want to do. That way we all get to do stuff together but no one gets dragged along for the entire day not getting to do anything they find fun."

"Sounds like a plan."

"I hope the plan involves ibuprofen," Eric muttered.

"I'll pick some up at the gift shop," Kensi responded.

When the elevator opened she went to pick it up and the three men headed to the buffet table. "Jesus she's chipper this morning. It's frightening." Deeks noted.

Sam studied Deeks a moment. He remembered little of the previous night. Drinking on the beach with Eric. The mouse trap prank that still littered the hotel room. Hitting Deeks in the face with a wood covered pillow. After that it went dark. But what happened before he and Eric had arrived? Had they just set up the traps? Something had changed. It was as subtle as a brick. But he wasn't sure what had happened between the two of them, and he wasn't sure to what extent their relationship had changed. He decided to stay quiet and observe for a while, who knows Kensi Blye was volatile and it wouldn't be long before Deeks would say something stupid.

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**Reviews are wonderful, and I thank each and every reader who has left one!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review I really love reading them and I'm so happy people are actually enjoying reading this as much as I enjoy writing it! **

**This chapter is short, but it didn't really belong with the last chapter, nor does it with the next so I apologise for the length. **

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Kensi didn't panic when Nell wasn't in the room. Kensi being a highly skilled agent did a quick sweep of the room, looked for any sign of a struggle. Nell either hadn't slept in her bed or had made it.

Frowning Kensi grabbed her phone and leaned against the desk. _Want me to pick you up something to eat? _She shot off the text and waited impatiently for a reply.

_Not hungry, but thanks. Just going to sleep a bit longer and I'll come find you guys. _Was the reply she received.

Suspicions running wild in her head she took another look at the bed. _Nell where are you?_

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"Pancakes are basically the most delicious food item ever," Eric said slathering his second golden stack with maple syrup and was feeling much better now that the ibuprofen had worked it's magic, that and the pancakes had absorbed what alcoholic content still lay in his stomach.

"I concur," Deeks responded spearing a piece and running it across the plate to accumulate more syrup.

"They would go perfect with tea," Bethany sat down across from Sam at the small round table where Kensi had been sitting minutes earlier. She had brought one of the one serve tea kettles of hot water and poured it over the tea bag in her mug.

"You can't taste the paper?" Sam asked out of habit and the other two men smiled.

"Never really thought about it," she responded looking at him.

"Oh," Deeks shot his head up, "Sam, Eric, this is Bethany, Bethany this is Sam and Eric."

"A pleasure," she said with a wide smile. "It's really nice to make both of your acquaintances."

"So how did talking to that brunette go?" Bethany asked looking pointedly at Deeks.

"Kensi and I are cool," Deeks responded but he could feel the watchful eyes of Sam and was trying to replay everything he'd said to Bethany wondering if she might blab something that would earn him a head swat.

"That's good to hear," She added sugar to her tea, "anyways, I just wanted to say thanks again for the other night." She briefly touched his hand and then pulled away, grabbed her mug and looked at the other two, "nice meeting you two."

"Back at you," Eric responded

"You too," Sam said. Once out of ear shot Sam looked over, "who is she?"

"Just a friend," Deeks responded- that he made out with in a hot tub, and she's married. Of course he wasn't going to admit that one.

"I quite like your 'just a friend.'" Eric said and Deeks finally looked at the tech, who's eyes had were still following Bethany till she was out of view.

"She's married."

"Oh," his joy deflated.

Feeling bad Deeks then said, "there are plenty more pancakes though."

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_Nell where are you? _Receiving the text Nell felt her skin get cold. "Damn it," she whispered. Kensi knew she wasn't in the room. She'd put the phone on vibrate so it wouldn't wake Callen.

She didn't know what to say to Kensi.

The answer _I'm fine, I'm in Callen's room_ would not go over well. She, along with the rest of the team would expect that something had happened because she was a woman and he was a man and men and women couldn't just be friends nor share a bed with out touching each other. But they could, and they had, no matter how difficult she had found it.

She mulled it over. _Don't freak, I've just run out to pick up a few things_. She sent it and proceeded to chew on her nails waiting for a response.

The ringing of Callen's phone startled not only her but Callen as well who jerked in his sleep- the way you do when you dream of walking down stairs and missing a step. He opened his eyes and looked around. He went to reach for the phone but froze and looked back at Nell. "You forgot pants," he said in a daze and then looked around for his phone which Nell picked up from where she'd put it after texting Kensi on it and passed it to him. He frowned looking at it and answered the call. "Callen."

"Hey G I can't find Nell."

Callen frowned and thought up something quick. "Seen her in the halls earlier, said she was going to get a massage," he replied.

"You sure about that Callen?"

Callen frowned and put Kensi on hold. "Kensi's worried, she can't find you."

"I told her I was running errands," Nell frowned knowing Callen's lie hadn't lined up with hers. They didn't even have a good reason for lying, nothing had happened. But they both instinctively lied because their perspectives of each other had changed and they feared someone else would pick up on the changes too.

Callen took Kensi off hold and she was in the middle of an angry rant. "Kensi, she's fine, she's with me." Nell looked at him, her hazel eyes going wide and her mouth opened slightly. He reached over and pressed up under her chin.

"Getting a massage?"

"No, in bed. She fell asleep watching infomercial didn't have the heart to wake her, I took Sam's bed, by the way how is the big guy doing?"

"Hungover," Kensi responded but he could tell she was mulling something over. She was wondering if something had happened or not. "I'll tell everyone you guys were out running errands but we are all hanging out today okay?"

"Okay bossy," Callen responded sleepily and hung up.

"You told her the truth."

"Pretty much." Callen adored the shocked look upon her face. "Kensi can tell when someone is lying, it's not just in facial expressions but in the vocal patterns, it's easier to tell someone is lying when it's someone you've known. I can only get away with the little things now. Sometimes it's annoying, like now."

"She's going to assume."

"Let her," Callen said with a casual shrug, "she'll probably ask again to my face, and she will know for certain I didn't lie and she'll drop it."

Nell knew this was true, but it worried her because Kensi would tell that Callen was telling the truth but she could also take one look at Nell and know, _just know_ some how _see_ the feelings she had developed over time.

"I guess since you're up we should get some breakfast," Nell said breaking the silence that had fallen upon them.

Callen's jaw clenched as she moved, he had tried very hard to pull his eyes away but found them glued on her as she had turned away and had bent over to pick her jean capris off the floor. She wiggled into them and Callen turned his head away before she caught him looking. A day with the group was perfect. With everyone else around he'd have to keep his eyes and his hands to himself.

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**Thanks for reading! **


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you so much for all the favs, alerts and wonderful reviews that have been left on this story! **

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The entire team was in swim gear by eleven in the morning. Deeks dove for the ball and hit it up Sam volleyed and Kensi spiked the ball over the net scoring them a point. "Woo!" Kensi-ever competitive did a small dance of joy just to rub it in a little.

They'd drawn straws to see who would end up on which team just so it would be fair. Only it wasn't. Callen was a decent player but could not redeem the fact that Nell screamed and ducked when a ball flew at her and Eric, well... he tried... but he always managed to hit the ball in the wrong direction which would leave Callen scrambling to try to save the play.

On the other side, Sam had never been a big volleyball player but they'd found that Kensi had been captain of her high school volleyball team and Deeks practically lived on the beach so it wasn't much of a surprise that he played a pretty good game of beach volleyball- the sand didn't trip him up as much as it did everyone else.

Kensi served, and Callen bumped it up and Nell timidly volleyed it over the net which Kensi quickly hit back and Nell jumped out of the way with a squeal. Deeks nearly doubled over laughing, "that's game!"

"Sorry guys," Nell apologised with red cheeks to Callen and Eric, "never really been one for sports."

"It's just for fun Nell," Eric said waving his hand.

"Exactly, lets get lunch," Callen decided, "I'm starving."

They walked toward the pre-determined restaurant just off the resort. Kensi and Deeks brought up the rear as they walked down the side walk, both belting out the words to 'We are the Champions."

"Way to show sportsmanship," Sam shot back at them as he walked beside Nell in the middle. This made them pause for a moment and then sing it louder. Sam rubbed his head, "shut it you two, we're here."

Callen held open the door and came inside last. It was a pretty nice place but still casual which was good considering he, Sam, Deeks and Eric were in t-shirts, shorts, and flip flops. Kensi was wearing a bold red bikini with a black sarong. Nell, more modest wore a one piece shimmering silver swimsuit that had a cut out around her bellybutton and a pair of the shortest jean shorts Callen had ever seen.

They looked at their menu's and Kensi shifted in her seat. "Ants in your pants?" Deeks asked with a grin.

"Sand where I'd rather there wasn't," Kensi whispered back and Deeks laughed.

They all ordered and looked to Sam who'd drawn the next tallest straw. Kensi had enjoyed her pick of beach volleyball wanting a nicer memory of the team playing to take precedent over the incident days prior that nearly left her partnerless. "So what are you thinking?" Kensi asked him.

"Horseshoes" Sam replied with a smile. Only horseshoes had ended up being a drinking game. "The three bottom players drink each round. Ten rounds."

"I'm out," Deeks argued, "got to take a leak."

"Didn't you go at the restaurant?" Kensi asked.

"Are you seriously keeping tabs on when I urinate?" Deeks asked with an eyebrow raised. She glared at him. "I'll be back before the tenth round." He looked around unable to see a bathroom sign on the beach, "probably." And with that he was off.

"Hmh," was all Kensi had to say, but internally she was trying to recall a time when she'd seen Deeks drink more than a single beer. She turned to Sam, "with Deeks gone is it still the bottom three?"

"Yep."

"Damn."

By round nine the team knew Kensi had never played horseshoes. She always threw it way too far.

"This isn't a weight throwing contest Kensi," Callen said with a laugh.

He thought he'd be fine playing with the younger part of the team, he'd thought since he and Sam had grown up in a generation that had actually played horseshoes he wouldn't have to drink. He was wrong. Callen knew Sam could play, but hadn't expected the accuracy from Eric that was right on par with Sam. Kensi, Nell and Callen had to drink for the past nine rounds. He was grateful this was the last one.

Sam threw his horseshoe and it was a ringer. "Alright!"

Kensi grabbed hers, and despite overthrowing it every time she looked Sam dead in the eye, "you're going down."

"Kensi, there is being competitive, and being stupid," Sam said as she took her spot behind the line and like every time before she threw it way past the intended goal. "Looks like you'll be drinking again."

"Allow me to guarantee that," Eric threw his and it laid just behind Sam's. Kensi gave him an icy look as she took her shot.

Callen glared at the target, "damn it," he didn't even bother with his turn and just took the tenth shot of whisky. Nell stumbled over to the line and he watched her with worry. "I don't think this is very fair, she's way smaller the alcohol is hitting her worse."

Eric was now studying his OSP partner and frowned, "you're right."

Nell's throwing was the opposite of Kensi's and she always threw way under, "oh bugger." She came over to grab the shot but Callen downed it quickly. "Sorry, all out."

She studied him, "you did that on purpose."

"Vacationing is making me into an alcoholic," he joked with a shrug.

"I think Deeks got lost," Kensi said finally looking around remembering her partner.

"The bathrooms are few and far between," Eric noted from his experience of having to search nearly twenty minute before finding one. He looked up at the sky, "and it's going to start raining soon, we should find him."

"He went that way," Sam said, "why don't we just go and meet up with him... if you guys can manage to walk."

"We shall stumble and sing drunken melodies," Kensi retorted with a smirk, "hopefully there are no mouse traps on the beach."

They all laughed, Kensi and Deeks had told their pranking tale during lunch much to the embarrassment of both Eric and Sam.

"Smart ass," Sam muttered.

.

.

Deeks had found the bathroom and Kensi was right, he didn't really have to go. He knew though, he couldn't beat anyone at horseshoes. Who the hell played horseshoes anyways? That and he didn't drink. Well he did. He'd have a beer. Or when undercover and the villain offered him a drink of brandy- he couldn't refuse, not while using an alias. When he got to be Marty a single beer was enough- he never seen the point to drinking.

He had sat and watched the waves for a while, the beach was quiet and the sky was looking dark the clouds filled to the brim and he knew it wouldn't be long before it would start to rain. He laid back and shut his eyes and only opened them when he felt a drop of rain hit his nose. Surely the rest of the team would either be finished the game by now or calling it off due to the weather so he got up and dusted the sand off his shorts.

"David, please stop this."

"I don't want to hear it, we're going and that is final."

"David!"

He was sprinting before he'd consciously made the decision and spotted the hulk of a man, Bethany's husband and her arguing. His big friends hung back talking among themselves like the arguments were an everyday occurrence- and for all Deeks knew, they were. He knew it was stupid, but he was a cop, and there wasn't much he hated more than a man who in any way hurt a woman, so he butted right in. "Beth, is there a problem?" He asked her. She looked up at him with wild, fear filled eyes. Emotion's he'd seen in other eyes many times before. Eyes that looked a lot like his own. His cops gut told him this wasn't going to end nicely, it also told him Bethany wanted out but wasn't sure how to get free.

"Marty," she breathed out and then looked back to her husband and back, "Marty run!"

Deeks wasn't sure what had happened but David took two steps toward him and Deeks dodged back narrowly missing an uppercut that would have laid him out. He wasn't one to run, and this was a fight he knew he was going to loose.

Though knowing he was going to loose had never stopped him from fighting before.

Deeks quickly shot his arms down pushing David's kidney shot away from his body and realized David was a man of brute strength but he wasn't a fighter and Deeks was scrappy. When David when for another swing Deeks ducked low, grabbed a hand full of sand and threw it into the other mans eyes. Sure it was a dirty tactic- pun fully intended- but it made the odds a little better for Deeks.

For a moment anyways.

David's friends had been content to watch Deeks get pummelled, but now that Deeks had the upper hand the two men grabbed Deeks arms and David got the sand out of his eyes. "You son of a bitch, you were kissing my wife?"

Deeks's face fell as he looked at Bethany who had tears streaming down her face. "Run to your left. Go." He told her before he got a solid shot to the stomach. "Bethany run NOW!"

David looked over his shoulder, to see Bethany take off but he shrugged and looked back to Deeks, "she'll be back, she can't live with out me."

"Funny, she was doin' just fine with me the other night." Deeks felt the blow knock his jaw out of line. He really wished he could just keep his mouth shut, oddly enough David had effectively ensured Deeks wouldn't be doing anything but incoherent mumbles for a while.

"You really shouldn't have messed with my wife." Five blows to the ribs in quick succession and he fell limply from the arms of the other men.

Even on vacation Marty Deeks couldn't help but find trouble.

.

.

"Maybe we passed him," Kensi said. Her worry had forced her attention from her drunken state. She was no fool, she was drunk, but she was a focussed drunk. The rain was coming down harder now. "Or maybe he turned around and went back to the hotel?"

"Doubt it," Callen said, "he would have said something. It's more likely he walked farther than he thought or lost track of time."

"Hey, is that Bethany?" Eric asked. Kensi looked to where he was pointing. The woman was running, blonde hair weighed down by the rain. She kept looking over her shoulder.

"She's running from someone," Kensi took off toward her and stopped in her tracks.

Bethany halted, nearly crashing into Kensi. "You're the brunette woman. Kensi?"

"Yeah..." Kensi looked perplexed. She hadn't introduced herself.

"You okay?" Eric asked catching up.

"Fine, Marty is in trouble though... I got into a fight with my husband and Marty walked in... and," Bethany was panting from the run. The rest of the team gathering around. "He punched him, Marty told me to run this way... I guess he knew I'd run into you guys."

"Can you show us where?" Despite the alcohol in his system, and technically being on vacation Callen was going to be damned if anyone was going to hurt a member of _his_ team with out repercussions.

"Yeah, it's not too far from here," Bethany responded turning around, "come on!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, I LOVE reading them! **

.

.

Deeks felt another kick to the front of his ribs and immediately following got another kick to back of his kidneys. David and his friends were giving him quite the work over.

Being pissed off and a survivalists forced Deeks to shake the nausea and pain away long enough to grab the next kick coming and pulled the man off balance, it might not have worked had they not been fighting on sand. The brief moment gave Deeks a moment to get back to his feet only to gain a roundhouse kick to the face.

David might not be able to fight, but his friend could.

Deeks on his hands and knees tried desperately to get up, to stop the world from spinning as David's hulking mass came into his vision Deeks seen the man pull up his fist and then was gone, knocked back in a blur with force of a freight train.

Another man went to kick him and hands shot out grabbing the leg and heaving up. Deeks allowed his body to fall to the ground a the sight of Kensi who had not only knocked the bigger man over, but when he'd tried to get up she'd kicked with wicked force and had knocked him out.

He looked over to find that Callen had tackled the other man and Sam was choking out David. Callen got knocked back and stumbled in the sand. Deeks then remembered the rules of Sam's Horseshoes- Callen was obviously fighting drunk, but even intoxicated the Senior Agent was a total badass and kept control of the fight and eventually knocked the guy out.

"Deeks?" Kensi was in his vision and her hands were on each side of his jaw, "dislocated," she whispered. "Sorry about this." And then blinding pain washed through him as she shoved the bones back into alignment.

Bethany crouched down next to Kensi, "oh Marty! I'm so sorry, this is all my fault."

Deeks rubbed his jaw, "do you want out?" He asked her simply, he didn't want to have to talk. His jaw hurt to much and even the short sentence fragment had caused the pain in his jaw to increase.

Bethany looked down and then over to her husband who was laying unconscious in the sand. "I want my life back Marty. Yes, yes, I want out."

With Kensi and Eric's assistance, Deeks was back on his feet. "Was that what," he gestured with his head to where they had been arguing and took his arm from Kensi's shoulder to rub his jaw.

A nod of the blonde's head and she looked up at him, "We got into a big fight, about money and his having a job and not letting me have one, and he wants to stay in New York and I want to move back home to L.A. He's just so controlling and it made me so angry!"

Deeks knees were wobbling under the burden of the beating and he got Eric to lower him to the ground, it hurt to much to keep his arms up around the tech's shoulders considering the beating his ribs and kidneys had taken.

"So..." She flushed embarrassed, "I told him I kissed you."

Deeks wrapped his arms around his ribs trying to keep focus, he looked up and could see the shutters had fallen down on Kensi's face- she was unreadable. Eric was shaking his head, the two senior agents didn't look surprised, and Nell was looking considerably hammered.

"I didn't think you were going to just jump in right after I said that... he was so angry, I thought... I thought he was going to hit me, but he said we were going back home- to New York. And then... and then you were there." She knelt down in front of him, "you reminded me what it was like to have a friend again. I've gone three years with out friendship and... I missed it. I want my life back Marty... but I don't know how to get it back."

Callen was watching the entire thing unfold and frowned. "We'll get you safely to L.A." Bethany whirled around to look at the senior agent. "Deeks would say the same, but I bet his jaw hurts something wicked and I think he's starting to loose consciousness."

At that Kensi was looking back down at her partner worriedly, and Callen was right Deeks seemed to be fighting the darkness. Kensi quickly knelt down just as Deeks fell back into the sand.

"How?" Bethany asked quietly.

"Let me worry about that," Callen said the alcohol still in his system and he stumbled a bit. Nell giggled. "Not funny," he murmured. Then he was business again. "We need to get out of here before they get up."

"Should we call the cops?" Bethany asked.

"Nope," Sam replied walking over to Deeks and picking him up. After all he was the only one with the strength and sobriety to carry the detective and be trusted not to drop him on his head. "Trust us, Deeks will go through the legal stuff with you when conscious again."

.

.

.

"Think we should take him to the doctors?" Kensi asked as Deeks layed out in her and Nell's room since it was closest.

"Nothing is broken," Callen had already checked the detective over. "Some bruising, but he will be fine Kens."

Callen's reassuring did little for Kensi, Deeks was her partner and he had a knack for getting himself in situations like this. She should have went with him. And with the alcohol in her system the guilt was intensified. She wasn't there for Dom. What would happen if she wasn't there for Deeks.

Nell was in the shower, Eric was comforting Bethany, Kensi was fretting over Deeks. Callen and Sam stood to the side, "how are we going to get her out G?"

"Hetty." Callen responded. "I'm going to call Hetty, explain the situation, she's not going to like it but... she wouldn't tell us to leave Bethany with her abusive husband."

"So much for letting the good times roll, huh?"

"Sorry," Deeks said opening his eyes, he smiled just a little. "Trouble just seems to find me."

"Deeks," Kensi whispered relief flooding her. "How are you feeling?"

"Been worse," he responded sitting up with a sudden sombre attitude but relaxed when he spotted Bethany sitting across from Eric. She smiled at him, he smiled back. "Callen?"

He looked up at the sound of his name, "yeah?"

"Nice tackle, were you a linebacker in high school?"

"That's an image, don't football players wear tights?" Nell came out of the bathroom with a towel, rubbing access water from her hair. With everyone looking at her she just smiled, "what?" She stumbled a little and grinned, "Marty, you're awake!"

"Why is it everyone takes to calling me Marty only when they are intoxicated?" Deeks wondered out loud.

"I want to know why she's thinking about Callen in tights," Kensi said quietly and only Deeks hear her. He snorted.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks to everyone who has read this story thus far. The continued support of repeat reviewers warms my heart. This story is coming to a close pretty soon and the next few chapters are the end of their time on vacation! I'm a little sad about it, but I have so many more story lines, oh and this will be continued, kind of. No longer on vacation but at work and the repercussions of the events of Shenanigans! will be present. But that is to be talked about much later and I'm rambling, on with the chapter!**

::

Later that night, when Callen had explained the Bethany situation to Hetty over the phone the Operational Manager hadn't even sounded surprised, though she did sound tired. "I'll take care of it Mr. Callen, she'll take the same flight as the rest of you. Ensure she is at the airport on time." The conversation had been brief but it put a ache in his chest.

"How's Hetty?" Sam asked. The entire group had seemingly decided to stay in Deeks and Eric's room for the night.

"Sounds tired, not like her usual self."

"Are you projecting because you miss her?" Sam ribbed.

Callen hadn't really thought about it before. Taking a moment he did realize he was missing the little ninja who had a knack for walking up behind them right after they'd said something stupid. She was also the glue that held the team together. She was the mother to their broken little lives and as much as Callen had gone through life not needing anyone he could admit that maybe he needed her, just a little.

Callen chose to ignore his partner's ribbing. "We should get some rest, tomorrow is the last day here."

It wasn't even odd that the team felt so comfortable with each other that with only two beds everyone ended up sleeping together, plus Bethany. Deeks and Eric insisted they get to stay in their own bed, and came to a truce in the prank war to keep from having casualties of war like Sam.

People slept where they landed. Kensi sleeping on Deek's shoulder after a lengthy debate over the joys of Rocky Road ice cream verses the classic Vanilla. Callen had put Nell with them and put a basket on the side of the bed incase the alcohol made a second showing, but she insisted he needed sleep to and pulled him down with her. Eric fell asleep with his glasses on and Bethany had carefully plucked them off and placed them on the bedside table and fell asleep beside her new found friend and Sam had taken up the remainder of the room and started to snore.

::

"I'm going to kill you!"

"I'm almost done!"

"I have to pee Deeks!" Kensi banged on the door again. Everyone was up, and Eric had ordered room service due to their lack of ability to get ready for the day.

Kensi pulled her lock picks from her back pocket- alway present in her jeans- and picked the lock to the bathroom, she opened the door with ease and strode in.

"Jesus Kens! Patience is a virtue you know!" He stood in blue and white boxers hair still weighed down by water but it was already beginning to curl up at the ends.

She froze for a second taking her nearly naked partner in. He was bruised from the beating, his jaw specifically was a horrific shade of purple, his ribs were as bad and by his kidneys were a yellow green tinge. Even despite the bruising she couldn't deny he was a fine specimen.

The bullet scars were fading but they- even above the dark bruses- instantaneously grabbed her attention. He had them because of her. Indirectly, but they were in some way her fault and she always felt a twinge of guilt when she seen them.

Her bladder protested, and she pushed aside feelings. "I have to pee Deeks."

"Well I'd like to get dressed Kens!" He responded grabbing his faded out blue jeans and pulled them on.

"Out, out," she threw his shirt at him.

"Going!" He ducked out as she slammed and locked the door behind her. He looked at poor Nell, Callen rubbing circles on her back. "Not feeling so well?"

She half shook her head once stopped, groaned and put her head back on the pillow. "Sam your game sucks," she muttered.

"Sorry Nell," Sam really did feel bad they should have let her do half shots or something. His phone went off and he quickly answered it. Everyone respectfully went quiet. Sam smiled at first and then frowned. "Yeah, I'll see you soon."

Callen frowned having studied his partner's reaction. "Mika?"

"Yep."

"Going to break up with the perfect woman?" Eric asked.

"Right after a shower, catch up with you guys later?" Callen nodded and watched his partner leave.

"He going to be okay?" Nell asked.

Callen smiled, she was always thinking about someone else. "It's nothing he hasn't done before, and won't do again."

"I can't believe this is the last day here," Eric said quietly.

"I'm kind of glad it is," Kensi said coming out of the bathroom and jumping on Eric's bed before sitting down cross-legged. "I miss..." she glanced over at Bethany, "work."

"I miss work too," Eric replied, it had been far to long since he'd hacked something.

"I miss being sober, this sucks," Nell muttered sitting up slowly.

"Next time we know to cut you off early," Callen replied. He watched as her hair fell into her face and he nearly went to tuck it back behind her ear. He clenched his hands into fists.

"Next time won't be for a while, my liver is giving me it's two weeks notice and I'm hoping to convince it to stay."

::

By lunch everyone was showered, dressed, and in Nell's case loaded up with ibuprofen and felling slightly less like death. "Nell's turn."

"Sandcastles," she replied. She had been thinking of many things to do when her turn came but the gentle sounds of the ocean and the calming effect of just letting your inner child out to play sounded good after the rough start to her morning.

"Where is Bethany?" Eric asked having been last to shower.

"Wanted to get her stuff," Deeks responded and at Eric's shocked face continued, "she didn't go alone! Kensi and I went with her and then she got a room for her last night, she just wants some time to think things over alone. I don't think she started out yesterday by thinking she was going to flee from her husband and start processing divorce papers. She's in shock."

Nell took off her sandals and walked barefoot in the sand. "Feeling better?" Callen asked quietly.

"Yeah, still feel a little weak, and tired but I'll be fine."

"So how do you build a sandcastle?" Callen asked.

Eric, Deeks and Kensi who had been walking in front all stopped in their tracks and turned to look at him. "What?" They all asked in unison.

"Have you guys been practising that?" Callen asked surprised by their state of shock. He looked to Nell who was also staring at him quizzically. "Did I say something?"

"You've never made a sandcastle?" Eric asked.

"Ever?" Kensi pried leaning forward.

Callen paused for a minute and shrugged, "don't think so."

"Next he's going to tell us he never made a volcano for science fair." Deeks shook his head.

Callen was going to ask what volcanoes had to do with anything but decided it was best not to. Nell broke the silence by grabbing his hand and tugging him, "come on, I'll teach you!"

::

Sam walked with Mika to a small café, they both ordered drinks and sat outside. He'd broken up with women, plenty of times. It wasn't an easy thing to do. It wasn't fun. But it was necessary, especially when the relationship was under a pretense of a cover.

He didn't live here.

She didn't know his real name.

This would never work.

She had kissed him when he'd walked up. She'd asked about his day. She'd taken his hand in hers and damn if it didn't feel just right. She looked at her coffee with a smile he'd memorised, lip ring glinting in the sunlight. She looked over at him and studied his face. She frowned and looked back to her coffee. She took a sip and frowned, "this is the part where you tell me you're leaving. Your trip is over. It was nice while it lasted. Isn't it?"

Sam looked down at his own coffee and wished things were different, but aliases, cloak and daggers, guns and thugs, terrorists and drug lords, that was his life. These were the repercussions of his choice of occupation.

"I'm sorry Mika."

She nodded but there was no mistaking the shine of tears in her eyes. "I wish I had never met you," she whispered. "Then I wouldn't have known about the hole in my chest, I wouldn't have known that it needed to be filled, I wouldn't feel the raw edges when it was ripped back out as quickly as it was put in."

No one had put breaking up quite that harshly before. Usually crying happened. Lots of crying. The emotions she laid out on the table made him wish he'd never sat at that Tiki-Bar, he wished he'd just gotten the drinks for Callen, Kensi and Nell and gone back. At the same time, he didn't want to relinquish the memories of Mika and being with her.

Worse, he felt he loved her.

Love.

He cursed in three different languages so quietly she didn't even hear it. She just grabbed her coffee and walked away.

He knew just what she'd been talking about. She'd filled that hole in his chest, and he could feel the raw edges of the love being ripped right back out. He threw away his coffee and texted Callen to see where everyone was. He needed the distraction, the laughter and banter of the team to get him out of this.

When his phone rang he quickly read the text: _Deeks has boobs. On the beach down by marker three. Also my castle has a moat. Beat that bitch. _

Callen had known what he was going to do, and Sam knew this was Callen's way of attempting to cheer him up, and it worked, a smile was already back as he headed to the beach wondering briefly if Callen had been drinking.


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm still shocked by the positive feedback this story has received. I'm so grateful for everyone who has read, faved and reviewed this story**, **it's the readers support that has helped me get this far, so THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

::

Alas, Callen had not been drinking as Sam had believed. His text was quite accurate. They were down by marker three. Nell seemed to be showing Callen how to build a sand castle, but Callen kept knocking the tower over when he tried to sculpt the top. Sam was to far away to hear, but the way Nell threw her head back he knew she was laughing. Callen frowned and started again.

The closer Sam got, the more detailed Callen's little castle got, including the moat that had been dug around it. Still it was no match for the epic architecture that Eric was building a few feet away. Nell fluttered between the two helping Eric when he needed the extra hand and coming back to show Callen something else.

And then there was Deeks who Kensi had buried in the sand, all Sam could see was the back of Deeks's blond head, but as he walked up from the side, he could see that Callen had again been telling the truth.

"Looks like Marilyn Monroe," Sam said coming up behind Kensi.

"That's what I was going for!" She replied with delight.

She hadn't buried his arms and Deeks grabbed a bottle of water from the sand and drank some, "it's chilly in the sand... nice way to beat the heat." He re-capped the bottle and set it aside, "and Kensi gave me a fantastic boob job." Deeks grabbed his sandy breasts and grinned cheekily at her. He turned at the sound of a click. Nell had out a camera, "lemme see!"

She came over and turned the camera toward him. He and Kensi's smiles had been captured, and the boob grab. "Oh that's a keeper," he said with a grin.

"Thought you might protest?" Nell said before biting her lip.

Deeks just smiled, "life should be well documented."

"It's about time for your turn Callen," Nell said sitting down studying Callen's focussed face.

"No."

"What?"

"No, my castle isn't done."

Nell laughed, "giving up your time to spend more on the beach?"

Callen lifted the triangular cup and smiled when the sand finally stayed as it should on top of the tower. "Yep."

"In that case, I'm going to need more sunblock." She pulled out the coconut scented lotion and started applying. He tried to focus on the castle but she was slathering her legs and he couldn't tear away his attention. Sand hit his hand and he looked back, part of his castle wall was crumbling. He forced himself to try and fix it. "Hey G, can you get my back?" She was wearing a tank top, her shoulders and the top of her back and neck showing.

"Sure." Mature, responsible adults could sleep together in the same bed, then surely he could apply some damn sunblock.

He took the bottle from her and put some in his hands before rubbing the back of her neck, she shuddered. "It's cold," she said, even though it wasn't. It had been baking in her bag for the past hour and was warm. He didn't say anything though and she hoped she wasn't blushing.

He ran his hand over the curve of her neck and over her back. They were just friends, friends could apply sunblock and no one would think anything of it. He could see Kensi just out of the corner of his eye by Eric and she was staring at them but turned away when Eric spoke. Callen pulled away, "you're all good."

"Thanks... your wall is falling."

He turned back to watch it fall over. "Really?" Exasperated he tried again.

"So... how you doin' Sam?" Deeks asked, he felt he should, although considering Kensi had made him into a sandy Marilyn Monroe he doubted Sam would take him seriously.

"Fine." Sam responded sitting down on the beach studying his colleagues, his friends. Finally he looked at Deeks. "I'm not having this conversation with you up to your neck in sand." Deeks put his elbows into the sand and tried pulling his torso up and out of the sandy grave but stopped suddenly and Sam watched the detective's face pale. "Deeks?"

"Mhmm." Deeks responded grinding his teeth.

"You okay?"

"Mhmm."

"Kens?" Sam ignored Deeks affirmative considering it was obvious he was not okay. "Help me dig out your partner?"

She came over from where she had been admiring Eric's work and took a good look at Deeks. "Deeks? You okay?"

Deeks nodded and Sam sighed, "no he isn't, help me out here Kensi." The two dug until they could lift him out of the hole and he laid back immediately.

He'd chose to wear his t-shirt but Kensi just crouched beside him and peeked up it. "You tryin' to undress me Kens?" Deeks said but despite the light hearted words the tone was strained.

"You shouldn't have tried to get out with your ribs like that. What were you thinking?"

"Sam wouldn't talk to me when I had sandy boobs," Deeks responded with a sly smile.

"That's not exactly what I said." Sam argued.

"It was implied," Deeks said slowly sitting up. "So, how did it go?"

"It was a break up Deeks, does anyone ever say it went well?"

Deeks looked down, "sorry Sam."

"Don't be. I made the decision to start something with her, I had to take responsibility to end it too."

"God damn it!" Callen shouted angrily as Nell and Eric laughed bringing the attention of Sam, Kensi and Deeks. Half of his castle had fallen down and he was looking like a moody child, he looked over to Eric's masterpiece and glared at the tech, "I hate you."

Eric just grinned, "it was a good first try Callen."

"Don't pacify me," Callen said grumpily. "And it's your turn, I'm done with this castle building. I'm better at shooting things."

Eric smiled, "then you'll love my idea."

At this the team looked intrigued.

::

They had all showered since they'd been covered in sand, and Nell wanted to get the layers of sunblock off. Eric had told them to dress casual so they all came out in either jeans or shorts and t-shirts. He lead them for a while, walking the streets, everyone talking and laughing, the banter of the team seemed to never end.

Eric stopped in front of a building, "we're here."

"Laser tag!" Deeks lit up with delight. "Sweet!" He and Eric bumped fists as they got geared up. It was a busy indoor centre that was considerably dark. "Against each other, or another team?"

"Another team," Eric decided pulling the electronic vest over his head and clipping the sides. "They won't know what hit them."

"They had to give me children's vest," Nell complained coming up behind Callen. "They close off differently." Callen had just finished clipping the pieces on the sides down but Nell's needed to be clipped together around her back. "Help em out?" She asked turning around.

She was wearing perfume, something floral, hints of citrus. He frowned, did she always wear it? No, he would have noticed before. He grabbed the straps and clipped them behind her. "New perfume?" He asked.

"Kind of," she responded turning back to face him, "it was a gift I got a while back... don't bother using it often."

The guns were larger than the guns the agents used on a regular basis, but lighter and once activated lit up in a silvery blue. "Okay, there are three teams, you- the blue team enter here. Green and Yellow teams are entering at separate points. Shots to the vests will render your gun useless for ten seconds. End of the game the scores will be printed and you can see how your team faired, as well as how everyone on the team faired. No violence, no grabbing, no fighting inside. Keep it clean, have fun, and good luck." The employee said looking at the wall and seeing green was lit, he pressed his button and blue lit as well a few seconds later yellow lit and the employee pulled back the curtain, "game on!"

They went in together, the place was a labyrinth, but they were highly trained agents. Sweeping, Kensi and Deeks went right Kensi first, and Deeks on her six. The hallways were too tight to stay together. Eric moved forward and shot a yellow that had been going to fire on Sam. "Thanks," Sam said.

"Don't mention it."

Part of the wall moved and Kensi and Deeks were gone. "What the hell?" Callen said.

"Constantly changing course, it keeps repeat players from getting bored, and it forces people away from their team. Buttons around can do it, if you time it right you can completely screw over someone," Nell explained.

"You play laser tag?" Callen said surprised.

She smiled, "you bet!"

Another wall moved and separated them from Eric and Sam, "Nell get down!" Callen said pulling up his gun and quickly firing at a green who ducked behind the wall. They were sitting ducks. In a dead end and they couldn't shot the green's sensors since he was hiding behind a wall. "I'll take the hit," Callen said, "you shoot the bastard."

"Got it!" She said getting behind him, the green shot Callen's chest and the lights on the vest blinked and started to circle as a timer showing him when his gun would be reactivated, Nell had her arm under his and shot the green. "Payback's a bitch," she said before they ran out of sight.

::

"You think Sam is okay?" Deeks asked. The vest was uncomfortable over his bruising and as much as he thought that laser tag was going to be fun, he kept his gun hand down, it hurt too much to keep at the ready.

"How many times have you played a girl for a cover?" Kensi asked, "it happens, and we deal with it."

"It wasn't a cover Kens," Deeks responded.

"He couldn't tell her who he really was, security is priority." She swept and shot twice, her laser gun making noises and Deeks looked around the corner to see a yellow player look down and curse. They kept moving.

"Doesn't mean we shouldn't have lives."

"Just wait till you're a full agent and you have to go through the extra special agent training. You'll understand."

Deeks half smiled. Stopped raised his gun and shot at a green player and easily got the poor kid out. He felt bad. "You think I'll be a full agent someday."

Kensi froze and replayed what she had just said. "Hetty hired you for a reason, considering how badly you suck at being a liaison, I would say she wants you as an agent."

He hadn't told her about the papers Hetty had given him, he kept his mouth shut still. The kid's vest came active again and Deeks shot around the kid, the kid shot back and Deeks's vest blinked as it was hit. The kid smiled. "Aw man you got me!" The kid laughed and ran away.

Kensi smiled, he was good with kids.

::

Sam swept left, Eric swept right. They were annihilating all opponents. Neither had been hit. "Bet we beat Kensi and Deeks," Sam said shooting a yellow player.

"I bet we even beat Callen and Nell." Eric replied jumping back behind a wall, and Sam took the hit to the back of the vest. "Sorry about that."

"You're suppose to have your partner's back," Sam replied grumpily as his vest flashed.

Eric grinned, "you're not my partner," he responded pressing a button and the wall slid into place separating the two. "I'm going for first place Sam!" He shouted.

"I'll kill you!"

"No friendly fire in the game!" Eric responded laughing as he continued on his own.

::

**Reviews are written love my friends :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks for the lovely reviews, the favs, alerts and wonderful support I've received writing this! Enjoy!**

::

"I can't believe it."

"No way."

"Unbelievable."

"Really?"

The field agents were staring at their score cards. The blue team had won, buy a wide margin but they were shocked by the order in which their team scores had came in. First was Eric who had come through never shot, then Nell followed by Kensi, Callen, Sam and Deeks. "Special agents and we were beaten by technicians," Sam said gruffly, "then again my partner didn't have my back."

Callen was about to be offended when he realised Sam was talking to Eric. "What?" Eric asked innocently, "it's not my fault you were caught unprepared."

"You made me take a hit, and then separated."

"At least you didn't come in last." Eric said beaming at Deeks.

"I let the green team peg me, they were a birthday party of young kids," Deeks responded trying for the second time to raise his hands enough to get he vest off. The pain nearly made him double over, but he just grunted and finally got the damn thing off.

They walked out and despite the fact the sun was beginning to set the light of the outside world made them all squint after being in the dark for so long. "So Deeks, you drew the shortest straw," Kensi said, "last event of the trip?"

"We've been on vacation for this long and we haven't bothered to check out the night life. What is wrong with us? It's like we're middle aged," he shot a look at Sam and Callen and got a goofy grin on his face, "well you two are."

The two older men shared a look, Sam crossed his arms over his chest and Callen spoke, "you're lucky you're already injured."

Deeks just laughed, "come on, none of us are going to get in looking like this."

"I just have to pick something up first," Nell said stepping away from the group.

Callen stepped away as well, "I'll go with you."

Kensi watched the two who kept a distance from each other while walking. "Come on Kens," Deeks said as he, Sam and Eric headed back toward the hotel.

She waited until Sam and Eric were further away, and Deeks seemed to understand she wanted to talk and like always he matched his long stride to hers. "Have you noticed anything... odd on vacation?"

"Odd? Odd how?"

"Just odd Deeks."

Deeks thought about it for a moment, "not really."

"Nothing?"

"Well I don't get into prank wars on a regular basis if that is what you mean," Deeks responded wondering what it was that he was missing.

"How about changing in relationships."

Now Deeks was getting nervous, "what kind of relationships?"

"Really Deeks?" Kensi cried out exasperated, "you're suppose to be a cop, you should be able to see these kinds of things!"

Deeks took the hit to his pride directly and frowned. He looked over at her, was she talking about their 'thing?' He wasn't willing to risk it. "The Sam and Mika thing?" He tried. From the look of frustration on Kensi's face he was obviously _way_ off base.

"Callen and Nell," she whispered hotly.

"What? No!" Deeks shook his head, then paused looking at Kensi who was looking wide eyed. "No. No. Right? They aren't... together..."

"Don't know, but do you suspect?"

"Kensi I've overheard agents in OSP speculating on whether we are together."

"Well that is just... ridiculous." She said shaking her head while a nervous bead of sweat ran down the back of her neck.

"Yeah," Deeks said less than convincingly, "we totally don't have a thing, there is no thing."

"You think I'm just looking into it too much."

"Yeah," Deeks responded, "they're just friends."

"You guys coming or what?" Sam yelled over at them from where and Eric had stopped.

"Yeah, coming!" Kensi shouted back. "Come on, I have a little black dress that's just dying to come out of the closet." She started walking and as always he matched his stride to hers.

::

"What about this?" Nell asked.

Callen shrugged, "she re-gifted what I got her for Christmas last year, I don't think I'll be very helpful."

Nell sighed dramatically, "if not to help me pick out a thank-you gift for Hetty, why did you come along?"

Callen's face went devoid of emotion, "you really have to ask that?"

Despite the lack of emotional display on his face she could hear the anger that lingered in his voice. Nell swallowed hard, she hadn't forgotten the man in the square, the cut on her back was healing quickly but would probably leave a faint scar- a permanent reminder upon her flesh. "I'm sorry Callen," Nell said softly, "I didn't mean it... like that..." She sighed.

"The how did you mean it Nell?"

She looked up at him, she was use to having to look up at people- Hetty being one of the few exceptions. She didn't know the answer. She'd just spoken. She hadn't thought. How did he do this to her? Make her mind all mushy, and the brain she made her living on seemed to short-circuit when it came to him. "You don't have to come and watch over me, the likelihood of being mugged again is incredibly low and I'm more aware now and..." She trailed off when she got caught up in his stormy eyes that seemed to have darkened.

Callen didn't speak he just kept his walls up and crossed his arms over his chest. _I didn't come to babysit you, _he thought, _okay, maybe a little, but it wasn't why, at least not the first reason why. _But he wouldn't say that. That might open a box that was better left shut. A box that could ruin this... whatever this was. "What about that," he pointed to break the awkward tension that had surrounded them.

Nell smiled, "it's lovely."

::

Eric was already dressed up, something Kensi couldn't recall ever seeing. "Well hello handsome," she smiled coming into Eric's room wearing her lovely little black dress that swayed with her movements accentuate with a vibrant red sash. Sam was already waiting, "and look at you too, I'm a lucky girl."

Sam chuckled, "you're a vision Kensi."

"Bet you say that to all the girls," Kensi said with a dramatic sigh.

"Kens?" Deeks's voice came from the bathroom.

"Yeah?" She raised her voice so he could hear her through the door.

"You come here a sec?"

Sam raised an eyebrow and Eric couldn't hide the smirk, she went to the door, "what?"

He opened it just a crack and made sure it was just her before opening it pulling her in and shutting the door. "I need a hand."

She raised an eyebrow, and asked in a tone filled with suspicion,"with what?"

"Getting my shirt on," he admitted quietly.

She frowned, the bruising was extensive- she was shocked nothing was broken. He had been lucky... well... not entirely lucky but... she mentally shook away the thought and grabbed his button up white shirt from his hand and wondered how long he'd been trying to get it on.

"Put your arms out a bit," he did as he was told and she put his hands in each of the sleeves and tugged the garment up before walking around him and adjusting the collar. He could have done up the buttons on his own but when her nimble hands started doing it for him he just smiled softly and for once kept quiet.

"I'm not tucking it in," she said when she was finished.

"I think I can manage that," he responded quietly, and did just that, though when he did the back she could see the strain on his face, the obvious pain. Finished he sighed, "vest and jacket?"

"You did have to have a three piece suit."

"Go big or go home," he responded with a grin as she helped him into the grey vest, though she didn't do up the three buttons and he handled them himself.

"Jacket," she said stepping up behind him and helping him into it. "There, you wearing a tie?"

"Uh... he looked around and found it had fallen to the floor, "yep," he bent and picked up the vibrant red tie. He looked at her sash and smiled, "we match."

She also smiled, and then put out her hand, "shut up and give it over."


	21. Chapter 21

The music filled the air a block before they even got to the club, they got in easily enough. It was ladies night so Kensi didn't have to pay the cover charge. "I love ladies nights, cosmo's are half off," she noted walking past the poster and into the large dimly lit room. The place was packed, "if Callen and Nell get here too late they won't be able to get in."

"G sent a text," Sam replied, "they're leaving the hotel shortly."

An incredibly intoxicated woman stumbled over and grabbed Deeks's hand, "hey handsome, come dance!"

"Um, I'm with someone," he quickly wrapped his arm around Kensi's waist and the girl frowned.

"Your loss," and she stumbled on.

Kensi shot a look over at Deeks and raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't my type," he lied as the group made their way to the bar.

"She was hot and had a pulse, isn't that your type?" She asked sweetly.

"Cute," he responded with a glare. His phone vibrated in his pants, he looked at the phone and responded putting it back.

"Who was that?" Kensi asked.

"None of your business," Deeks responded and conspiratorially put his arm around Eric and said something Kensi couldn't hear.

"What is he up to?" She asked Sam who shrugged.

::

"Nell you ready?" Callen was already dressed in a black suit standing in the hotel hallway and knocked gently at the door.

"Yeah, one sec, just putting on my shoes!" She called through the door.

A moment later she was opening it and Callen's eyebrows raised. He'd never seen her all dressed up before. She wore a dark green strapless dress that clung to her torso and flared out at her hips ending just above her knee's, her hair was straight but clipped to the side and she finished it off with nude heals that elongated her legs. "You look..." he found himself grasping for a word that was better than beautiful. "Absolutely stunning."

"Thanks." She blushed, smiling ear to ear and averted her gaze, "you look pretty good yourself." She rocked nervously on her heels, ones she had bought with Kensi on one of their shopping trips. Nell herself could never see the point at work, but Kensi insisted they would go with anything on a formal outing, not that Nell went on formal outings... but she bought them anyways.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah," she shut the door behind her and they walked down the hall, close enough to touch but each kept their hands to themselves.

::

"Well, don't you clean up nice."

Eric jumped at the words whispered hotly in his ear. He turned just slightly to see Bethany standing behind him. "Beth, hey, wow," he got a look at her, she was wearing a black sheath dress her long blonde locks braided into a thick rope. "You look great, you come here often-of course not, you're not from around here-" She put a finger on his lips to stop the babbling.

"Ask me to dance Eric."

She removed her finger and stared up at him, "want to dance Beth?"

She beamed, and took his hand in hers, "I'd love to."

::

"She was who text you," Kensi accused Deeks. She was miffed having not figured it out sooner. She took another shot.

"Yep, you, a special agent, should have figured it out."

"Shove it Deeks." She responded hitting the little glass on the counter and motioning for another.

"Planning on getting drunk tonight?" Deeks asked nursing his beer.

"Yep," she responded, "and dancing. I intend on doing lots and lots of dancing."

He smiled at this, "I can't wait to watch."

She faked a pout. "You saying you don't want to dance with me?"

"You actually offering?"

"No, you step on my toes," she responded.

"Yeah, when we have to waltz. Who in this day an age needs to know how to waltz?"

"People who need to be many people, with many talents."

Deeks took the last pull off his beer and set it down, "you want another?" The bartender asked.

"No, I'm good thanks," Deeks replied.

"What?" Kensi looked over at him wildly, "you want to go to a club, but you aren't going to drink."

"I like to people watch," Deeks responded, and then looked her up and down, "wouldn't mind watching you dance."

"There are cheaper places to people watch, places with out a cover fee."

"Yeah, but you don't get girls all done up to the nines and swayin' their hips like that," he watched a girl walk by with a grin.

"Pig."

He shrugged.

"I've never seen you drink more than a beer," Kensi pushed and Deeks sighed.

"I don't really drink."

"Why not?" She asked already the liquor was coursing through her system and she swayed to the beat of the music.

"I just... don't." He had his reasons. So many reasons.

She studied him and looked like she was about to press the matter when she caught sight of Nell and Callen walking in, she stood and waved her arms flagging them over. "Hey," Callen looked tense and Nell was frowning, both of them looking past the young partners.

"What's wrong?" Deeks caught it, the uneasy looks.

"On your six Deeks," Callen responded. Both Kensi and Deeks looked over.

"Oh..." Kensi put her hand on her heart and sat down looking back to the bartender, "another."

::

Sam enjoyed dancing, dancing was an activity best done with an attractive partner who knew the moves on the same level as you. Plenty of girls in the club to fit the bill. The young woman swayed with him and they laughed about the obvious fight between two women a little ways away. That was till he seen Mika, her eyes haunted him as she looked at him sadly. He disengaged the other woman and followed Mika like a man hypnotised.

"Mika, Mika," he called for her and grabbed her arm just as she was heading to leave. "Mika, please."

"Please? Please what?" She fired at him angrily. Obviously the calmness she'd displayed earlier was gone and her anger had won over.

Sam really hadn't thought this through. A clean split is what he had needed. This... he frowned. "Mika, I really am sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what? Huh? For talking to me to begin with? For screwing me in that hotel room?" She was screaming and despite the loud music people were definitely watching. "How about for those moments on the beach?"

"Mika, please-" Sam begged.

"No. No." She shook her head. "Stay away from me."

Her hands splayed on his chest trying to push him back, but Sam didn't budge. "Mika," he whispered.

She turned and walked off.

::

He wasn't sure when it happened, wasn't sure who initiated, or even why it happened.

All he knew was that it had.

One minute they had been dancing real close. Foreheads touching, hips swaying and then lips touching. The loud music seemed to fade to a hum, the world melted away and it was just them. When the kiss ended the sound came back but his heart pounded in his head.

"Wow," was all he said, and was a little embarrassed, surely most men didn't say wow after a kiss, it wasn't exactly manly.

But Bethany smiled, "wow indeed."

And then her lips were back on his and the world once again faded away.

::

Callen had been going to ask Nell to dance. Surely colleagues could dance together. They were all friends. It would be okay, but he'd walked in and seen his partner and he knew that look. And he seen Mika. And he seen them talking. And he seen the look. That look that made Callen shake his head. The night was not going to go as planned. "I'll got to go talk to Sam."

Callen left the small group and found Sam sitting in a booth by himself, Callen sat across from him. "It wouldn't have worked out, even if she knew your real name, one of you would have had to move."

"This job is hell on relationships, I know that G. Out of all of us, don't you think I know this?" Sam was angry, and heartbroken. Callen knew, he'd been there when his ex-wife dragged him through hell in the divorce. "It's better for everyone if we never get involved."

"Come on Sam," Callen had for the first time actually felt a little hopeful that a relationship might work out. If he ever got the nerve to start it...

"No, G, we aren't ourselves, we are always someone else, and our original selves, our real selves they're residual matter from old cases, we just slide in and out of aliases- all we will ever accomplish in a relationship is hurting the ones we love, because they fall in love with one person, but the next day... we're already someone else." Sam's jaw tightened with anger and then he leaned forward. "G, here is some real good advice, so listen up. Never get into a long term relationship. Never give away your heart. And never actually fall in love." He then stood, "I'm going back to the hotel."

Callen sat back shocked by what he had heard. And worse, Sam did have a pretty valid point. He looked across the room at Nell, she was laughing at something Deeks had said. All he could think was _what is more important? My wanting her, or her happiness. _Sam had laid it out, and Callen couldn't find fault with his partners thinking. If he started something with Nell, she'd get hurt. It wasn't a hard decision, _her happiness._

He walked back to the group and Nell smiled at him, "want to dance."

He shook his head, "no thanks."


	22. Chapter 22

**Wow, over a hundred reviews! I'm shocked, really. Thank you so much! I have had so much fun writing this (yes this is the last chapter- snuck up on even me) I really just want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, faved and put alerts on this story! The support I've gotten writing this is remarkable! **

::

"Shut that God damned blind Deeks orI'llripyourfuckingheadoff," Kensi's words started out clear but in her hungover agitation they all commingled at the end.

Deeks quickly shut the blinds. "Sorry Kens," he whispered knowing she had a hangover. There was no way she couldn't, not with how much she had drank.

He had woken early, check out was still another hour away, he was already packed and ready. He had also drawn the shortest straw from the group and had to wake Kensi. Which he really didn't think was fair. Nell shared a room with her, and Kensi was way less likely to throw a punch at Nell.

Deeks on the other hand kept his eyes on his partner just waiting for her to throw something at him. He grabbed a bottle of water he'd purchased on his way to the girl's room and passed it to her, "drink this, it'll help."

She glared at him, "I don't want to get up."

"Well, we have to be out of here in," he checked his watch, "fifty six minutes. So..." he looked at her as if he expected her to jump out of bed. I

Instead she grabbed another pillow and placed it over her head, and though her words were muffled by goose feathers he heard, "five more minutes."

"Fine, you want me to pack your things, because knowing you that's an hour long job in and of itself. Pack so much you need wheels," he smirked remembering the first day after flying in and taking everything out of the van.

"If you need wheels you packed too much," she said removing the pillow from her head and forcing herself to sit up, "you said that on the first day."

"Can't believe the trip is already over," Deeks said uncapping the bottle of water and offering it to Kensi.

She smiled, "thanks." She took a sip, and then another before studying him. "I said something, on the first day. Something about you looking like a kid running away from home." She watched his facial expressions but he kept it a blank slate. "I think I offended you, or said something wrong when I did." Considering the highs and lows of their time on vacation she knew they were still treading water and she didn't want their fledgling partnership to sink. He really was a great partner- and more, a great friend. "So... I'm sorry."

He smirked, "the great Kensi Blye says sorry!"

She hit him with a pillow, "quit deflecting, it's too early for this crap and I still got to pack." She sat back and he was smiling, "you're not going to tell me, are you?"

He shook his head, "remember that whole-"

"Respect the pace," they said at the same time.

"Yeah, I remember," Kensi responded, maybe if she had just been a little forthcoming he wouldn't feel the need to hide behind her words.

"So you need help packing?" He asked.

"Yeah, help," she snorted, "you just want a look at my undergarments."

"What? No," Deeks said with a grin that stated otherwise.

She smacked him with the pillow once more. "Out, I'll meet you guys out front..." she looked over to where Nell should have been, "where is Nell?"

"Please, everyone is terrified of waking you."

"Not you?" She questioned.

"Especially me," Deeks responded with a laugh.

"Drew the short straw, didn't you."

"Yeah..."

"You know Sam rigs the straws right?"

His jaw dropped, "son of a bitch."

::

"Was that Hetty?" Nell asked. They were waiting out front with only fifteen minutes left for the rest of the team to get there. Nell was sitting on her suitcase and Callen had just walked back after taking a phone call.

"Yes," he replied looking more tired now than he had before the vacation started.

"Is... is everything okay?"

Callen sat on his own suitcase next to her, "yeah, she wants us all back at OSP ASAP."

"A new case?" She asked.

Hetty hadn't said specifically, but he suspected. "No rest for the wicked," he smiled getting caught up in her eyes, "it'll be nice, getting back to work."

"Hetty called?" Callen actually jumped when Sam came up behind him. Sam laughed, "jumpy G?"

He had been too busy caught up in the light playing in her hazel eyes that he hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings. He was losing his touch, vacation was a bad thing for the agent, had him off his game.

"Yeah, Hetty called, wants us all back ASAP."

"New case?"

"I suspect." Callen responded watching as Eric and Bethany engaged in conversation exited the hotel holding hands.

Deeks came out with his backpack, wheeling Kensi's bag. Her hair was unruly, sunglasses over her eyes, dressed in black and looking miserable. Deeks stepped up with fake cheer, "it's going to be a miserable flight, someone switch me seats."

"I heard that Deeks," Kensi snapped back hitting him in the head with the now empty water bottle. "Come on, lets get going, airport security is going to be a bitch." She sighed and took one last look at the beach.

"Remembering me with boobs?" Deeks asked.

She laughed, "come on!"

::

They had only taken the time to drop Bethany off at her mother's place and then headed straight to the Office of Special Projects.

Where they walked in to see Hetty waiting for them. "Welcome home Agents."

A banner came down and there was an explosion of confetti from both sides that made Kensi jump and let out a little scream.

A few of the agents were snickering having put the entire thing together, mostly for their own entertainment.

"Welcome back," Renko said clapping a hand on Callen's back.

"Thanks," Callen responded dusting confetti off his shoulder, "what... is some of this shit glitter."

"See you later," Renko walked away quickly and Callen looked at his team- a team that looked particularly sparkly. _Damn it. _If there was anything he learnt after a particular case with Kensi is that you might think all the glitter is off of you, but a week later- still there.

In response to the 'welcome home' there was a course of 'hi Hetty!' from the team.

"Oh!" Nell popped out from between the agents and held out the gift she had picked out, "it's from the team. To thank you."

"Oh," Hetty was a little shocked. As she held the wrapped box in her hands.

"Open it," Nell encouraged.

Hetty set it down on Callen's desk and did just that, pulling out a hand painted tea pot. "Oh it is beautiful. Thank you."

Nell let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and then bumped her hip against Callen, and whispered, "nice pick."

"I have my moments," he whispered back. And then he turned his attention back to Hetty, "was there anything urgent we needed to attend to?"

Hetty was still admiring the new tea pot which would be added to her collection, it was a pretty thing despite it's lack of long lineage it was even more important to her than the others, for it was one given to her from her beloved team. "No, Renko asked me to call you guys in, really wanted to set off those confetti bombs."

"And you let him?" Kensi spoke up crankily.

"It's been a slow few days," Hetty responded. "Besides, I wanted to welcome you all home. It's good to see you are all back safe and sound. And now that I have, you can go home, unpack and be here tomorrow morning at your usual starting hour."

"And dismissed," Deeks said turning dusting the paper bits off but still had glitter from head to toe. "Which is really a good thing, I don't think I would be able to pull off an interrogation sparkling like this."

The team laughed.

::

Hetty put the tea pot in her cabinet at the Office of Special Projects. She heard her hand picked team laugh together as they left and it brought a smile to her face.

They were rejuvenated, and little did even the seemingly all knowing Henrietta Lange know that the very next day the Office of Special Projects would be shaken to it's core- and the team's bonds would be put to the test, for at this time they would need each other more than ever before.

::

**And that's it. Thanks so much for reading. YES THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL it will be titled Blood And Bone... which I find to be a terribly depressing title in comparison to Shenanigans! But the mood is definitely darker**...** I don't want to give anything else away, but keep on the look out for it! Thanks again for reading! Love and Light ~Rush**


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